WIELMAJA

Well Done, Ellen!

2009-01-20T14:53:00.005+08:00

Two years ago, I blogged about the achievement of Winnie, our eldest daughter getting good grades from Taylor's SAM programme.

Winnie is going to her 3rd Year in Actuarial Science degree course in Australia National University (ANU) this February, 2009.

Our second daughter, Ellen also attended Taylor's SAM programme and similarly achieved good grades.

She has been accepted into ANU for Bachelor of Finance course beginning February 2009!

To borrow the phrase from the beautiful song "Butterfly Kisses":

"For all that I have done wrong, I must have done something right!"

Yes, Diana and I are so blessed with good kids and we are ever so thankful to YOU!

Fight Recession

2008-07-04T09:21:00.002+08:00

Apparently, this piece of advice comes from CIMB Group:

Recession is coming ... make your own judgment, don't panic !! Do what is wise.
The recession looks very eminent. It is really time to take pro active steps to avoid a painful time in the next two years which is how long the recession is expected to last.

Suggestions:
1. Don't take any loans, buy homes, properties with loans, or even cash. Keep as much cash as possible.
2. Pay off as much of personal loans, private loans, as debt collection will be hastened.
3. Sell any stocks you can even at lower prices.
4. Take money off from Trust Funds.
5. Don't believe in huge sales forecast from customers, be extremely prudent, lowest inventories, reduce liabilities.
6. Don't invest in new capital.
7. If you are selling homes/ properties/ cars , do it now, when you can get good prices, they are going to fall.
8. Don't invest in new business proposals.
9. Cancel holiday plans using credit cards.
10. Don't change jobs, as companies will retrench based on 'last in first out'.
Stay cool, wait, and if you took all of the above actions and more, you probably will be better off then many.
This is not a rumor. Bear Stearns is the first of many banking and financial institutions that will start falling in the not too future. If Bear Stearns can fall, so can JP Morgan, Citibank, HSBC, and the whole world.
US economy falls, the rest will crumble. India and all those self economies will be the most protected, but not gullible. Europe may be a little stronger, but not China , another giant! Malaysia will see significant impact.

Make sense, isn't it?
No wonder KL stock market is taking a beating this morning... down 27 points after 15 minutes!!

Sell now, especially stocks of GLC Companies!

New NS Expressway 3rd Lane Highly Dangerous!

2008-07-03T21:14:00.003+08:00

Received this from a friend.

Dear TV3 and The Star,
I am a frequent user of our North-South Expressway and I have this
IMPORTANT experience to highlight and share:-
I was driving back to Penang yesterday afternoon (24 June 08) when I saw
the unfortunate accident in the opposite direction involving the passenger
bus that skidded and overturned at Tanjung Malim. I didn't know that the
skidded bus was from hometown Penang untill I watched TV3 news later in the
evening and was shocked to learn that the accident took two lives.
Now, this is what I need to share:-
I am a building contractor with over twenty years of experience and I have
been driving my 5 series BMW (latest generation and a dammed solid road
holding car) each time
I travelled to KL. Lately, the new extended 3 lanes highway had been opened
up for use and since then, I have also been using it quite oftenly.
HOWEVER, when I used it each time it is WET, I can really 'feel' that
the
new road surface is extremely SLIPPERY! To share with some of you, my car
comes with a built-in traction control mechanism (skidding prevention
mechanism) and you can feel it each time it is activated. Previously, I
don't come across this kind of slippery feel except when I drive over a
paddle of water at certain speed.
From my observation as a building contractor, the 'wearing course' of
the
new road surface could be TOO FINE OR TOO SMOOTH and TOTALLY UNSUITABLE for
highway use!
The wearing course (top premix layer) mix design for highways should be of
minimum 20mm coarse aggregate mix that will give us the required bond
between the surface and our tyres. Fine wearing course (14mm coarse
aggregate size and below) is only suitable for normal road. (A proper test
need to be carried out to determine the mix design of the wearing course).
Since the opening of the three lanes highway, I had seen cars skidding in
front me or in the opposite direction and approximately 2 weeks ago, one of
my friends who is also a frequent user of our NSE, came to share with me
about his slippery feeling as well as the many skidded cars he had seen
lately.
I am highlighting this to TV3 and The Star with the hope that a thourough
investigation could be carried out immediately to find out how or what
causes the bus to skid. A proper and independent test need to be carried
out urgently to determine the design mix of the wearing course. THIS CAN
SAVE LIVES.
FOR THOSE BCC RECIPIENTS, PLEASE SHARE THIS WITH ALL YOUR FRIENDS.
IF YOU ARE USING THE NEW LANES AND IF IT IS WET, MAKE SURE YOU DRIVE
SLOWLY!!!!
Regards,
Jensen Yeoh
012-4826163
Penang.

Girl students and their white blouse uniform

2008-05-24T16:52:00.003+08:00

I would like to share this excellent article written by a fantastic writer , Foong, from Penang.
It is so "relevant". (These days, everybody is talking about being "Relevant", so do pardon the pun, which is definitely intended).

That’s right, blame the white blouse for social ills and sex crimes

"While you are at it, why not blame little children for daring to play in playgrounds as they are inviting perverted pedophiles to kidnap them by blatantly displaying themselves in such a public place.

Also, blame the women for even daring to step out of their homes as it could be construed as they are ‘inviting’ attention to themselves by blatantly displaying themselves in public places.

Don’t forget to blame all the clothes manufacturers for their audacity in producing clothes of any colour except for black such as yellow, blue, red, pink, purple, green or any other shades lighter than black could be construed as sexy.

While we are on a roll here, might as well reintroduce the chastity belt and impose laws to lock up all women and girls behind windowless rooms so that they do not tempt any men just by being there.

Finally, blame God for creating women in the first place to tempt men to commit evils of all kinds.

Seriously.

The root of social ills and sex crimes is more than just a white blouse. It is more than pirated porno materials available everywhere. It is more than the so-called negative western culture presented through the television, internet, etc.

Does this uptight, ignorant Munirah Bahari of the National Islamic Students Association of Malaysia even know what nonsense she is spouting before opening her mouth?

Other bloggers, Lilian and PabloPabla, have already pointed out her foolishness and blatant ignorance.

I however wish to point out that she is but an example of many others in the society who tend to blame everyone and everything from clothing to the victims EXCEPT for the perpetrators and lack of education when it comes to sex crimes.

So, the rapist / pervert / sexual predator were not pinpointed for their sick aversions but the victims were pinpointed for their dressing and their looks.

No rape / sex crime victim ever ‘asked for it’ no matter how she looked like or dressed like. Do you think Nurin asked for it? Do you think the countless young children who were sexually abused and raped asked for it?

In rape cases, it is often about control and not about sex. Even in sexual abuse cases, it is often about control and less about sex. How could raping an eight year old be about sex when the poor child hardly have any breasts? Rape was also one of the main actions in times of war, again, it is about power and control. Not about sex.

It is sad indeed that despite efforts by womens’ organisations like Women’s Centre for Change to change the mindset of the people to think about educating the people to respect women to reduce sexual crime rates, there are still those in society who preferred to blame it all on the victims than on the lack of education to prevent the perps from doing this.

It is also the same for social ills. Education and religious teachings play an important part to curb these. It is not about clothing or lack thereof. If adults, parents and teachers alike, do not play their roles to teach the young and lead by example, what could a simple white blouse do?

If I remember correctly, the Sisters (nuns) in the convent school I went to were dressed in white habits too. I hardly think those are sexy in any way!

On another note, I wore white blouses throughout my schooling days. So did my classmates and schoolmates. Amazingly, none of us were raped or sexually assaulted because of our ’sexy’ attire.

Shucks, if we knew white blouses are sexy, we would not have bothered going to all that trouble smuggling our own clothes in our school bags to change into so that we could go lepak-ing after school in ‘cool’ attire!

Shiissshhhh…how come no one ever told us this all those years ago? Ceh, the guys then must have been blind while the guys now must probably have x-ray vision which can only be thwarted by black or darker coloured clothing."

By Foong.

Please visit her blog here.

Lali, the girl with two faces

2008-04-10T17:34:00.003+08:00

12:24 PM CDT, April 8, 2008

SAINI SUNPURA, India - A baby with two faces was born in a northern Indian village, where she is doing well and is being worshipped as the reincarnation of a Hindu goddess, her father said Tuesday.

The baby, Lali, apparently has an extremely rare condition known as craniofacial duplication, where a single head has two faces. All of Lali’s facial features are duplicated except for her ears–she has two. Otherwise, she has two noses, two pairs of lips and two pairs of eyes.

“My daughter is fine–like any other child,” said Vinod Singh, 23, a poor farm worker.

Lali has caused a sensation in the dusty village of Saini Sunpura, 25 miles east of New Delhi. When she left the hospital, eight hours after a normal delivery on March 11, she was swarmed by villagers, said Sabir Ali, the director of Saifi Hospital.

“She drinks milk from her two mouths and opens and shuts all the four eyes at one time,” Ali said.

Rural India is deeply superstitious and the little girl is being hailed as a return of the Hindu goddess of valor, Durga, a fiery deity traditionally depicted with three eyes and many arms.

Up to 100 people have been visiting Lali at her home every day to touch her feet out of respect, offer money and receive blessings, Singh told The Associated Press.

“She is the reincarnation of a goddess,” said Lakhi Chand, a 65-year-old farmer who came to see Lali from neighboring Haryana state.

“Lali is God’s gift to us,” said Jaipal Singh, a member of the local village council. “She has brought fame to our village.”

Village chief Daulat Ram said he planned to build a temple to Durga in the village.

“I am writing to the state government to provide money to build the temple and help the parents look after their daughter,” Ram said.

Lali’s condition is often linked to serious health complications, but the doctor said she was doing well.

“She is leading a normal life with no breathing difficulties,” said Ali, adding that he saw no need for surgery.

Lali’s parents were married in February 2007. Lali is their first child.

Singh said he took his daughter to a hospital in New Delhi where doctors suggested a CT scan to determine whether her internal organs were normal, but Singh said he felt it was unnecessary.

“I don’t feel the need of that at this stage as my daughter is behaving like a normal child, posing no problems,” he said.

Japanese Buffet Dinner

2008-04-06T16:08:00.013+08:00

Yesterday was my darling wife's birthday and we decided to go for Japanese dinner. We had tried Tropicana Kin Shui Tei Japanese Restaurant during our 21 Anniversary. The kids suggested to go for buffet... all-you-can-eat dinner... so I googled for the information. Listed below the restaurants serving Buffet Dinner, in no particular order:

1. Saisaki Japanese Restaurant, Unit 1-9 1st Flr, UOA II, Kuala Lumpur
Tel 03 21663728 RM43++ (No Oyster)

2. Shin Nichi Japanese Restaurant, Grd Flr, Kompleks Antarabangsa
Tel 03 21423318 RM49++

3. Jogoya Japanese Restaurant, 3rd Flr, Starhill Shopping Centre
Tel 03 21421268 RM88++

4. Ichi Ban Japanese Restaurant, Grd Flr, Wisma MPL, Raja Chulan
Tel 03 21488988 RM40++

5. Miyako Japanese Restaurant, Sheraton Subang
Tel ?? RM85++

6. Eyuzu Japanese Restaurant, 4th Flr, Eastin Hotel, Petaling Jaya
Tel 03 76651111 RM68++

7. Momo Japanese Restaurant, 1st Flr, Centre Point, One Utama
Tel 03 77259688 RM49++

8. Gen Japanese Restaurant, Legend Hotel
Tel 03 40429888 RM62++

As we lived near Bandar Utama, our first choice was Momo. I called to make reservation but the phone was ringing off the hook and no one answered. So we decided the next nearest, Eyuzu at Eastin Hotel. We got our table reserved at 8pm.

The setting was so so, and due to the crowd, it was quite cramp as the tables were very near to each other. But the food was so good, especially the SHUSHI! Here's some pics and I will let the food do the talking!

The bill came to about RM390 after adding 10% for service tax and 5% for government tax.

Good value for money as we paid more than RM500 for the a la carte dinner at Kin Shui Tei restaurant in Tropicana last December.

Go check it out!

Happy Lunar New Year and Happy Valentine's Day

2008-02-05T16:03:00.001+08:00

Petition for our rights for safer roads and travel

2008-01-30T17:39:00.000+08:00

Please post this on your blog now to help:

Chung Lern and Nian Ning’s families would like all families and friends of the victims, dead or alive, in the Slim River Bus Crash to come forward and join them in taking action against the bus company. Stand up to seek justice for these three innocent individuals, who were all so young and full of life.

If you have a blog, please call out to ANYONE who knows someone who survived or did not survive the crash to come forward to join the Lee family.

Make a huge difference, make a huge fuss.

For now, you may contact Lee Chung Lern at chunglern@gmail.com or preferably on his handphone at 012-6670368.

What a laugh !

2008-01-23T12:05:00.000+08:00

May God save us all if this is TRUE!
(click to enlarge)

Happy New Year to ALL!

2007-12-31T17:08:00.000+08:00

Human Rights Walk and Street Protests

2007-12-11T09:37:00.000+08:00

The recent street protests and Walk for Peace, Walk for Justice were unusual for Malaysia. How did they come about?

Why were there protests? For folks who rely on the mainstream newspapers for their daily feed of news and information or misinformation, they must have brushed aside these as annoying events that disrupt their daily routine and lifestyle.

Today is a Selangor Public Holiday but not for folks working in KL but the jam into the city was so bad. It started at 7.30am from One Utama all the way to Jalan Parliament. All of us were caught in the massive jam from One U and thought that it might be due to an accident. But no, it was the numerous road blocks reducing the many highways and roads into one lane!

I did not see the police checking on any cars at all. They just stood there watching us struggling to jostle from 4 lanes into one lane. Infact, I dared say I noticed sinister smiles from our friends in blue!

So After queuing for more than 40 minutes, I decided to turn back and headed back to One Utama and used the MRR 2 and it took me less than 20 minutes to reach the office which is just outside the city centre.

Why were the police so determined to frustrate and cause hell to us working folks, I don't know. May be they are trying to portray to the public that it was due to the protests by BERSIH or the Human Rights Walk, and we should all get angry with these groups?

I hope I am wrong.

Q. E. D.

2007-12-06T14:53:00.000+08:00

Q.E.D. = Quite Easily Done?

At least this is what I have been taught or told.

In actual fact, as it turns out, Q.E.D. is the acronyms of a Latin phrase:

Quod Erat Demonstrandum meaning "this is what I set out to prove"

Example of Q.E.D. being used:

".....thus, the square of the hypotenuse is equal to the sum of the squares of the two legs. Q.E.D."

Political Debate

2007-11-30T15:11:00.000+08:00

Watching the US Democratic and the Republican Debate on YouTube these past couple of days really enforces the notion that we are indeed living in a borderless world today and how important internet has become very much part of our everyday life.

The way those Presidential candidates answered and handled challenges/rebuttal/remarks thrown at them spoke volume of their maturity and ability to hold their composure and demeanor in front of millions of live audience both in the auditorium and on national TV. No calling of names, no shouting and gesture of profanities, no threatening words.

Unfortunately, the same could not be said of our Dewan Rakyat/Dewan Negeri debate.

Yet, these debates are being viewed, side-by-side, with the American Democratic/Republican Debate on the same YouTube .

Blogger Josh wrote from US:

Being here in the US and having the TV on all the time except when I am asleep, I couldn't help watching first, the Democratic Presidential candidates' debate then just two days ago, the Republican debate. I like the way people post Youtube videos and pose tough questions to the candidates. And I must say, most of the candidates are able to respond well and maintain their composure. They are even civil to each other although they are trying to snuff out the competition.

We in Bolehland do much better than them, ya? Ya? Ya??!

So to stir my pot of patriotism, I went to search for some videos of our dear leaders having intelligent, civil debate in Parliament. I was amazed by their intelletual capabilities and how eloquently they express their views. My my my. I feel so renewed, so refresed and of course, so patriotic.

You deserve the MPs and the Government you voted for !

Is this our Malaysia's Way?

2007-11-22T10:36:00.000+08:00

A well written article by Michael Backman of The Age, Australia:

Truth and justice are no longer Malaysian way

Recent street protests have highlighted the self-serving nature of Malaysia's Government.

THE Government of Australia will probably change hands this weekend. There will be no arrests, no tear gas and no water cannons. The Government of John Howard will leave office, the Opposition will form a government and everyone will accept the verdict.

For this, every Australian can feel justifiably proud. This playing by the rules is what has made Australia rich and a good place in which to invest. It is a country to which people want to migrate; not leave.

Now consider Malaysia. The weekend before last, up to 40,000 Malaysians took to the streets in Kuala Lumpur to protest peacefully against the judiciary's lack of independence, electoral fraud, corruption and a controlled media.

In response, they were threatened by the Prime Minister, called monkeys by his powerful son-in-law, and blasted with water cannons and tear gas. And yet the vast majority of Malaysians do not want a change of government. All they want is for their government to govern better.

Both Malaysia and Australia have a rule of law that's based on the English system. Both started out as colonies of Britain. So why is Malaysia getting it so wrong now?

Malaysia's Government hates feedback. Dissent is regarded as dangerous, rather than a product of diversity. And like the wicked witch so ugly that she can't stand mirrors, the Government of Prime Minister Abdullah Badawi controls the media so that it doesn't have to see its own reflection.

Demonstrations are typically banned. But what every Malaysian should know is that in Britain, Australia and other modern countries, when people wish to demonstrate, the police typically clear the way and make sure no one gets hurt. The streets belong to the people. And the police, like the politicians, are their servants. It is not the other way around.

But increasingly in Malaysia, Malaysians are being denied a voice — especially young people.

Section 15 of Malaysia's Universities and University Colleges Act states that no student shall be a member of or in any manner associate with any society, political party, trade union or any other organisation, body or group of people whatsoever, be it in or outside Malaysia, unless it is approved in advance and in writing by the vice-chancellor.

Nor can any student express or do anything that may be construed as expressing support, sympathy or opposition to any political party or union. Breaking this law can lead to a fine, a jail term or both.

The judiciary as a source of independent viewpoints has been squashed. The previous prime minister, Mahathir Mohamad, did many good things for Malaysia, but his firing of the Lord President (chief justice) and two other Supreme Court judges in 1988 was an unmitigated disaster. Since then, what passes for a judiciary in Malaysia has been an utter disgrace and the Government knows it.

Several years ago, Daim Zainuddin, the country's then powerful finance minister, told me that judges in Malaysia were idiots. Of course we want them to be biased, he told me, but not that biased.

Rarely do government ministers need to telephone a judge and demand this or that verdict because the judges are so in tune with the Government's desires that they automatically do the Government's beckoning.

Just how appalling Malaysia's judiciary has become was made clear in recent weeks with the circulation of a video clip showing a senior lawyer assuring someone by telephone that he will lobby the Government to have him made Lord President of the Supreme Court because he had been loyal to the Government. That someone is believed to have been Ahmad Fairuz Abdul Halim, who did in fact become Lord President.

A protest march organised by the Malaysian Bar Council was staged in response to this, and corruption among the judiciary in general. But the mainstream Malaysian media barely covered the march even though up to 2000 Bar Council members were taking part. Reportedly, the Prime Minister's office instructed editors to play down the event.

Instead of a free media, independent judges and open public debate, Malaysians are given stunts — the world's tallest building and most recently, a Malaysian cosmonaut. Essentially, they are given the play things of modernity but not modernity itself.

Many senior Malays are absolutely despairing at the direction of their country today. But with the media tightly controlled they have no way of getting their views out to their fellow countrymen. This means that most Malaysians falsely assume that the Malay elite is unified when it comes to the country's direction.

Tengku Razaleigh Hamzah, a former finance minister and today still a member of the Government, told me several weeks ago in Kuala Lumpur that he could see no reason why today Malaysia could not have a completely free media, a completely independent judiciary and that corrupt ministers and other officials should be publicly exposed and humiliated.

According to Tengku Razaleigh, all of the institutions designed to make Malaysia's Government accountable and honest have been dismantled or neutered.

It didn't need to be like this. Malaysia is not North Korea or Indonesia. It is something quite different. Its legal system is based on British codes. Coupled with traditional Malay culture, which is one of the world's most hospitable, decent and gentle cultures, Malaysia has the cultural and historical underpinnings to become one of Asia's most civilised, rules-based, successful societies.

Instead, Malaysia's Government is incrementally wasting Malaysia's inheritance.

Sweet Pickles Vs Anthrax Powder

2007-09-24T09:32:00.000+08:00

This is a funny story carried by IHT today:

"A Malaysian diplomat has apologized to the Iraqi Embassy for mistaking a gift parcel of sweet pickles as anthrax powder, a news report said Saturday.

Zakaria Sulong, the newly appointed ambassador to Germany, sent a fax to the Iraqi mission offering his "sincere and deepest apologies" for the misunderstanding which he "deeply regretted," the New Straits Times said.

The Iraqi Embassy sent the parcel to Zakaria as a gift on Sept. 13 to mark the Islamic holiday of Ramadan. He only saw white powder when he opened it and fearing it might be anthrax, placed the box in a barrel outside his house and called the police, the newspaper said.

Police discovered the powder was sugar sprinkled on top of the pickles to preserve them, it said.

Iraq's envoy lodged a complaint with Malaysia's foreign ministry over Zakaria's "panic-stricken behavior," the report said.

Iraq's charge d'affaires Hoshiar Dazayi was quoted as saying the fruit pickles were an Iraqi delicacy and were also sent to the offices of the Malaysian king, prime minister and foreign minister as Ramadan gifts.

"It is such a special sweet and this year I wanted to show my appreciation to the Malaysian government, the ministry and my friends," he said.

Zakaria's apology was personal and fell short of an official apology from the Malaysian government, he added.

Zakaria and Iraqi Embassy officials could not be reached Saturday for comment."

Perhaps our Diplomatic Corp should train all new Ambassadors on how to differentiate between pickles and anthrax and learn to be less panicky.

Farewell, Nurin and Start of the Blame Game !

2007-09-21T13:44:00.001+08:00

Pic courtesy of Bodohland

UPDATE (22 Sept 07): While we all grieved for little Nurin and felt for her parents, Jazimin and Norazian, our "heartless" IGP, Tan Sri Musa Hassan was quoted by mStar to have suggested that the parents be charged for negligence under "Children's Protection Act" !

This was also the view of the Women, Family and Community Development Minister as quoted by NST suggesting that parents whose negligence leads to their children being harmed risk being jailed.

Here goes another favourite game of the people we had voted and given full trust in the last election, to protect and to serve the nation and rakyat. This "Blame Game" is denial syndrome of the highest degree. Instead of going in full force to nab the perpetrators or conspirators, they seemed to be more interested in nailing the reporting parties or the whistle-blowers.

Have you seen little Nurin Jazlin Jazimin?

2007-09-18T20:59:00.000+08:00

UPDATE: Heartbroken...The latest news is that the girl in the bag is Nurin after all. See The Star . We convey our heartfelt condolences to the parents, Jazimin and Norazian for their lost...

Original Post: En Jazimin Abdul Jalil, the distraught father of little Nurin, has put up a blog appealing to the public to help find Nurin who had been missing since 22nd August 2007.

Someone somewhere must have seen Nurin. Please please help to provide any information to the police or to En Jazimin.

It will be the best Hari Raya gift anyone could give to the family!

Wise Words from a Wise Man : Remembering Bob Hope

2007-09-13T11:37:00.000+08:00

May 29, 1903 - July 27, 2003

Bob Hope, born Lesli Townes Hope, recipient of US Congressional Gold Medal

ON TURNING 70 "You still chase women, but only downhill".

ON TURNING 80 "That's the time of your life when even your birthday suit needs pressing."

ON TURNING 90 "You know you're getting old when the candles cost more than the cake."

ON TURNING 100 " I don't feel old. In fact I don't feel anything until noon . Then it's time for my nap."

ON GIVING UP HIS EARLY CAREER, BOXING "I ruined my hands in the ring ... The referee kept stepping on them."

ON GOLF "Golf is my profession. Show business is just to pay the green fees."

ON HIS FAMILY'S EARLY POVERTY "Four of us slept in the one bed. When it got cold, mother threw on another brother."

ON HIS SIX BROTHERS "That's how I learned to dance. Waiting for the bathroom."

ON HIS EARLY FAILURES " I would not have had anything to eat if it wasn't for the stuff the audience threw at me."

Intimately Beckham Nights, the New Fragrance for MEN

2007-09-11T13:25:00.000+08:00

David and Victoria in a strikingly raunchy pose

They are famous for their clean-cut family image. But David and Victoria Beckham pose in a sultry, semi-pornographic embrace under crisp white bed linen to show their 'dark side' while launching a new perfume.

This advert was shot by Terry Richardson, infamous for his semi-pornographic pictures, to promote their scent Intimately Beckham Night.

Beckham, 32, said: 'Not many people see this side of us and I think that's what's great about having a fragrance like this. It's a way of us showing our dark side.'

Touching and cooing each other, the Beckhams insisted the fragrance was a joint effort.

It was created by French perfumer Coty, the firm behind scents for Kylie Minogue and Kate Moss.

Daily Mail

Proton Oh Proton - Part II

2007-09-10T17:43:00.000+08:00

Apparently this launch car in Kuching was found to be fitted with two fuel gauges instead of one for fuel and one for temperature.

No wonder the Proton bosses were all red faced. Anyone who bought this model could confirm this?

The Looting of Kenya

2007-09-01T08:41:00.000+08:00

The looting of Kenya

The Guardian: The looting of Kenya

Link: http://www.guardian.co.uk/kenya/story/0,,2159757,00.html
Country: United Kingdom
Date: 2007-08-30 (Friday)
Source: The looting of Kenya under President Moi
By: Xan Rice

The breathtaking extent of corruption perpetrated by the family of the former Kenyan leader Daniel Arap Moi was exposed last night in a secret report that laid bare a web of shell companies, secret trusts and frontmen that his entourage used to funnel hundreds of millions of pounds into nearly 30 countries including Britain.

The 110-page report by the international risk consultancy Kroll, seen by the Guardian, alleges that relatives and associates of Mr Moi siphoned off more than £1bn of government money. If true, it would put the Mois on a par with Africa's other great kleptocrats, Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire (now Democratic Republic of Congo) and Nigeria's Sani Abacha. The assets accumulated included multimillion pound properties in London, New York and South Africa, as well as a 10,000-hectare ranch in Australia and bank accounts containing hundreds of millions of pounds. The report, commissioned by the Kenyan government, was submitted in 2004, but never acted upon. It details how:

· Mr Moi's sons - Philip and Gideon - were reported to be worth £384m and £550m respectively;

· His associates colluded with Italian drug barons and printed counterfeit money;

· His clique owned a bank in Belgium;

· The threat of losing their wealth prompted threats of violence between Mr Moi's family and his political aides;

· £4m was used to buy a home in Surrey and £2m to buy a flat in Knightsbridge.

Kroll said last night it could not confirm or deny the authenticity of the report.

The Kroll investigation into the former regime was commissioned by President Mwai Kibaki shortly after he came to power on an anti-corruption platform in 2003. It was meant to be the first step towards recovering some of the money stolen during Mr Moi's 24-year rule, which earned Kenya the reputation as one of the most corrupt countries in the world.

But soon after the investigation was launched, Mr Kibaki's government was caught up in its own scandal, known as Anglo Leasing, which involved awarding huge government contracts to bogus companies.

Since then, none of Mr Moi's relatives or close allies has been prosecuted. No money has been recovered. Three of the four ministers who resigned after the Anglo Leasing scandal was exposed have since been reinstated.

Last night, the Kenyan government confirmed that it received the Kroll report in April 2004. But Alfred Mutua, the government spokesman, said it was incomplete and inaccurate, and that Kroll had not been engaged to do any further work.

"We did not find that the report was credible. It was based a lot on hearsay." He said the leaking of the report was politically motivated and insisted Kenya was working with foreign governments to recover the stolen money. "Some of the money is in UK bank accounts. We have asked the British government to help us recover the funds, but so far they have refused."

The report was obtained by the website Wikileaks, which aims to help expose corruption. The document is believed to have been leaked by a senior government official upset about Mr Kibaki's failure to tackle corruption and by his alliance with Mr Moi before the presidential election in December.

On Tuesday Mr Moi said he was backing Mr Kibaki for a second term, saying he was disappointed that "selfish individual interests have been entrenched in our society". Mr Moi remains an influential figure in Kenya and his endorsement is expected to go some way to ensuring his successor's re-election.

In the Kroll report the investigators allege that a Kenyan bank was the key to getting vast sums of money of out of the country via its foreign currency accounts. The same bank had already laundered $200m (£100m) on behalf of the late Mr Abacha, with the assistance of a Swiss-based "financier".

"It is believed that twice as much was laundered through the same system by the Mois," the report said.

Kroll confirmed last night that it had previously done work for the Kenyan government. A company spokesman was given extracts of the report seen by the Guardian. "We cannot confirm or deny that this report is what it purports to be," he said. "Nor can we talk about the scope, content or results of any work we have done for the government of Kenya, which remains confidential."

Gideon Moi is an MP and Philip Moi is a businessman. Daniel Arap Moi's spokesman did not return calls last night.

Breakthrough: A machine that cures Cancer!

2007-08-27T13:38:00.000+08:00

Man invented machine that can cure cancer

A Florida man with no medical training has invented a machine that he believes may lead to a cure for cancer.John Kanzius, who turns 63 on March 1, is a former broadcasting executive from Pennsylvania who wondered if his background in physics and radio could come in handy in treating the disease from which he suffers himself.Inside his Sanibel Island garage, Kanzius invented a machine he believes sits on the brink of a major medical breakthrough.
......
......
Kanzius explained that his machine uses a solution filled with nanoparticles, which measure no more than one-billionth of a meter. A test subject would be injected with either gold or carbon nanoparticles, which would make their way through the body and attach to the cancerous cells. The test subject would then enter the machine and receive a dose of radio frequency waves, theoretically heating and killing the cancerous cells in moments and leaving nearby cells untouched."That is the holy grail ... Research has shown that they're able to kill them once they attach to the cancer cells," Kanzius said.Kanzius said he hopes to begin human testing with his machine within the next two years.

go here for details!

Proton oh Proton !

2007-08-16T12:34:00.001+08:00

Proton Persona was launched by DYMM Agung yesterday (15 August 2007).

This article from Forbes.com caught my eye today:

Malaysia's Proton Pins Hopes on New Car

Malaysia's money-losing car maker Proton launched a new stylish sedan Wednesday that it hopes will lift its sagging sales and return the company to profit.

The new Pesona model, together with Proton's new ventures in China, will "mark the emergence of Proton from its low ebb," Managing Director Syed Zainal Abidin said in a company statement.

Proton has been losing money and market share in Malaysia, Southeast Asia's biggest passenger car market. Its domestic market share has plunged to around 23 percent from 60 percent in 2002 amid stiff competition from both domestic and foreign rivals.

Syed Zainal was quoted by national news agency Bernama as saying that Proton hopes to export the new car to Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, Britain and Australia to reap economies of scale. Proton "cannot concentrate on the domestic market alone as it is getting smaller and smaller. That's why export is going to be the approach," he was quoted as saying.

Some analysts are not convinced the Pesona can greatly boost Proton's fortunes.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Michael Backman commented in his exclusive interview with Malaysia-today.net recently that Malaysia should NOT have a national car because one cannot get sufficient economies of scale with a population as small as Malaysia's when it comes to car manufacturing.

Whether this statement is true of not is not the subject of this blog.

The truth is, Proton car, especially GEN 2 is just too disappointing, to say the least.

My first Proton car was, unfortunately, a GEN 2. I was unlucky to have been the first batch GEN 2 owner, having awed by its sleek design and by the euphoria of the grand launch by PM. I received the car after six weeks and after resisting the countless offers to "jump queue" to be among the firsts to get the car.

The car "behaved" well for the first 3 months, if you did not count the complaints of creaking noise from my family as imperfections. Then one fine day while driving near our house, we noticed the car wobbled and jerked as if we had a flat tyre. But the tyres were fine.

We brought the car to Proton Platinum showroom immediately and upon arriving, we noticed the bonnet was dented by something protruding from below. It was the shock absorber which had come loose and now sticking up like a sore thumb! Imagine if we had been on the North South Expressway at night, far from civilisation or on the busy Jalan Tun Razak during peak hour... we could have caused a massive jam! And it was supposed to be a brand new car, for crying out loud!

The Proton mechanic knew the problem right away. He even suggested that I should have brought the car in earlier as they knew of this problem (probably by the numbers of car brought in for repair) and had informed their office to notify the other owners. Sadly, they "managed" to exclude our names.

Our "new" car had to be "hospitalized" for more than a week to replace the parts, to change to a new bonnet (I insisited I would not accept a re-knocked bonnet) and to do the painting job. And all these within 6 months of owning the new car !!

We are still trying to get rid of the GEN 2 but the price is so bad that we have no choice but to keep it as a spare car.

One thing is for sure... no more Proton car for us !

Google Earth now in 3D

2007-08-08T16:56:00.001+08:00

Google Earth is a wonderful tool. More and more people are using it for presentation, for advertising and even for promotion.

Now Google Earth is offering 3D views of buildings and bridges. This however is applicable only to major cities within the US; and only a few prominent buildings are rendered in great details such as the World Finance Centre, Jacob K.J. Federal Building etc.

The two images show the view at World Trade Centre in normal Google Earth view, while the other one show the superimposed 3D rendered buildings around the WTC.

World Trade Centre without 3D

World Trade Centre in 3D

I also found out that the Google Earth people had also rendered our Petronas Twin Towers quite beautifully in 3D!

The captured image in comparison with the one I captured while flying over the area here provide an interesting perspective!

Petronas Twin Towers in Google Earth 3D

Helicopter Shot of Petronas Twin Towers

Saya Anak Bangsa Malaysia

2007-08-08T14:23:00.000+08:00

Pic courtesy of Mob's Crib

Another Joke to Start the Week!

2007-08-06T14:32:00.001+08:00

One day, a magic mirror was delivered to the Parliament Building.
This magic mirror will verify if something you think of will come true or not.

All one has to do is stand in front of it and say what you are thinking.
If it is the truth, it will let out a thunderous applause but if is not likely to happen or if it is a lie, the person asking the question will be given the boot and 'POOF!' he or she disappears.

So Ropidah Azis stood in front of the mirror and says:
"I think Mahathir and and I will become good friends again."
POOF! She disappears. Verdit : Not likely to happen.

Then Najis stood in front and says :
"I think I will become the next Prime Minister of Malaysia."
POOF! Given the boot and disappears. Verdit: Fact hope!

Well.. Abdol Bodowi walked past and decided to give it a try.
He stood in front of the mirror and says : " I think."
POOF!

My Caricature by Samsudin Ismail

2007-08-01T15:33:00.000+08:00

I wrote a few days ago about Samsudin Ismail. the very talented Sketch Artist who hails from Sik, Kedah and now lives in Melawati, KL. He had graciously consented to do a sketch for me, for FREE!

He just sent me my caricature complete with "work in progress" sketch. Wonderful effort.

You should get to know this guy; he is so humble and so immensely talented.

Thank you, Sudin !

Visit him here!

Hawaiian Love Song OR Our National Anthem?

2007-08-01T11:33:00.000+08:00

AUGUST is here and our countdown to the 50th Merdeka Celebration has begun.

A friend sent me a link to this Hawaiian Love song named "Mamula Moon". The intro reminds me of our National Anthem.

Happy 50th Merdeka!

Jeff 4 Parliament : A New Galactico in Malaysian Politics

2007-07-31T17:18:00.000+08:00

I am happy to extend my warmest and heartfelt congratulation to Jeff Ooi on his entering the political arena.

I used to read Jeff Ooi's Screenshots blog. I respected him for the ideology he stands for and for the articles he wrote. He is always sharp and insightful in current issues. He is tireless in uncovering the wrongs and the ills of our society. He is someone who really care for the country and the well being of all Malaysians.

Unfortunately, he sometimes could be short tempered and arrogant. Let me relate my brief experience with him.

I sent him an email in late December 2006 about an Air Asia B737 aircraft landed on its belly at one of our airports. This was forwarded to me by a friend from a neighbouring country. I did not read the report in the mainstream newspapers so I thought it was recent and an interesting lead for him to follow, all in good intention. Few days later, I got this from him:

* * * * * * * *

Jeff:
"Stop it!"

"This is almost 3 years old, and I have received it a dozen times since 2004!"

me:
"Sorry, I thought it was recent as I had just received in December 06.

Anyway, I hope you could be a bit more polite with your fellow bloggers. Your tone was reprimanding and intimidating, especially when we are just trying to provide you with good leads for your articles. "

Jeff:
"You should know I am a no nonsense person.

If you start spreading via email materials that are unsubstantiated with current evidence, you may be reprimanded by law, and I am not willing to be associated in anyway with you as I don't solicit rubbish like the one you sent me.

I ask in not uncertain terms to stop. You can take it as a frank but stern advice -- I don't give a damn if you say it's rude -- and feeling your ego is bruised. Your choice.

Rgds, but you are wasting my time."

* * * * * * * *

Even if I was wrong in forwarding the email to him, albeit with good intention, he did not have to practically shout at my face??

Anyway, I have put this episode behind me and have moved on. I still read his blog but had refrained from writing to him or commenting on them.

I wish Jeff all the best in his new undertaking !

Samsudin bin Ismail : Talented Local Sketch Artist

2007-07-27T17:03:00.000+08:00

Li Ka Shin, Forbes' List of Top Ten Billionaire
Sketch by Samsudin bin Ismail

"Met" this talented Sketch Artist in Facebook today. This sketch of Li Ka Shin is one of his many sketches on the website.

If you are nice to him, he will even do one sketch of you for FREE! Go visit!

Femtosecond

2007-07-16T10:16:00.000+08:00

We received tonnes of email everyday. This one landed on my Inbox today and since I am in a mood to share, here goes:

A femtosecond is one billionth of one millionth of a second. Ahmed Hassan Zewail, the Egyptian American chemist, used femtoseconds to measure certain chemical reactions. For his great pioneering work, Zewail won the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1999, as well as the right to go through airport security one femtosecond faster than other people named Ahmed.

A femtosecond may seem like an inconceivably short time, but it does have applications outside science.

If you're a married man, you know all about femtoseconds. You experience them every day. A femtosecond is the amount of time it takes your wife to:

---glare at you when you look at another woman at the beach.

---start giving you a lecture when you make a wrong turn.

---switch channels after accidentally landing on ESPN.

---figure out if anyone at a party is wearing the same dress.

---decide what to buy when she receives a new credit card.

If you're a married woman, you don't need Dr. Zewail to explain femtoseconds to you. You've already got them down pat. A femtosecond is the amount of time it takes your husband to:

---glance at the instructions that came with the furniture assembly kit.

---figure out where the beer is kept at a party.

---switch channels after accidentally landing on Oprah.

---jump off the couch when you say, "I'm in the mood tonight .."

Femtoseconds are not just for married people, of course. Almost everyone encounters them now and then. It takes only a femtosecond for:

--The short line at the post office to turn into a long line.

---Bill Gates to make a buck.

---George Foreman to eat a pizza.

---The New York cabdriver to honk when the light turns green.

Politician !

2007-07-12T21:08:00.000+08:00

"Two Crocodiles were sitting at the side of the swamp near Parliament House.

The smaller one turned to the bigger one and said, "I can't understand how you can be so much bigger than me. We're the same age, we were the same size as kids. I just don't get it."

"Well," said the big Croc, "what have you been eating?"

"Politicians, same as you," replied the small 'Croc.

"Hmm. Well, where do you catch them?"

"Down the other side of the swamp near the parking lot by the Parliament House."

"Same here. Hmm. How do you catch them?"

"Well, I crawl up under one of their Lexus cars and wait for one to unlock the car door. Then I jump out, grab them by the leg, shake the shit out of them and eat 'em!"

"Ah!" says the big Crocodile, "I think I see your problem. You're not getting any real nourishment. See, by the time you finish shaking the shit out of a Politician, there's nothing left but an asshole."

Miracle man walks again

2007-07-12T14:31:00.000+08:00

Associated Metro Ltd

Associated Metro Ltd of UK reported Monday, 9th July of "Miracle Man Walks Again", an article which caught my attention as it depicted the struggle of a man in the face of extreme adversity. It also showcased the advancement of medical science in Beijing.

" He survived against all the odds; now Peng Shulin has astounded doctors by learning to walk again. Bedridden for years after a lorry had cut his body in half in 1995, doctors in China had little hope that Peng Shulin would ever be able to live anything like a normal life agan.

But recently, he began exercising his arms, building up the strength to carry out everyday chores such as washing his face and brushing his teeth.

Doctors at the China Rehabilitation Research Centre in Beijing found out about Mr Peng's plight late last year and devised a plan to get him up walking again.

They came up with an ingenious way to allow him to walk on his own, creating a sophisticated egg cup-like casing to hold his body with two bionic legs attached to it.

He has been taking his first steps around the centre with the aid of his specially adapted legs and a resized walking frame."

Coincidentally, the SUN reported in the front page today of a man, Amri Mohd Samat who is also reduced to "half a man" but "full of life" after his body was amputated from his waist down due to infection. Amri was paralysed from the waist down due to a motorcycle accident in Singapore 21 years ago.

To Mr Peng and En Amri, we salute you for your courage!

The Sun, 13 July 2007

Tetris Game with a Twist, and a Headache After

2007-07-05T17:20:00.000+08:00

3D-Stereogram Tetris by ~3Dimka on deviant ART

Joke to start the week

2007-07-02T13:08:00.000+08:00

MALAYSIAN HELL

A Malaysian dies and goes to hell. There he finds that there is a different hell for each country.

He goes first to the German hell and asks: "What do they do here?"

He is told "First they put you in an electric chair for an hour.Then they lay you on a bed of nails for another hour. Then the German devil comes in and whips you for the rest of the day."

The man does not like the sound of that at all, so he moves on.

He checks out the American hell as well as the Russian hell and many more. He discovers that they are all more or less the same as the German hell.

Then he comes to the Malaysian hell and finds that there is a long line of people waiting to get in.

Amazed he asks "What do they do here?"

He is told "First they put you in an electric chair for an hour. Then they lay you on a bed of nails for another hour.Then the Malaysian devil comes in and whips you for the rest of the day."

"But that is exactly the same as all the other hells - why are there so many people waiting to get in?"

"Because maintenance is so bad that the electric chair does not work, someone has stolen all the nails from the bed, and the devil is a former Gormet servant, so he comes in, signs the register and then goes to the canteen for teh-tarik..."

Sustainable Urban Transport

2007-06-24T11:26:00.000+08:00

I was researching on "Sustainable Urban Transport" recently and came across this innovative, interesting, effective, environmentally friendly yet safe uban transport system:

The Trampe bicycle lift.

Trondheim, the third largest city of Norway, is where the world's first prototype bicycle lift is constructed in 1993. The reasons why this form of urban transport system is successful are:

1) Trondheim is a university city with 30 000 students, 90 % of whom using their bicycles as their main transport tool,
2) During the last 20 years, the Authority had invested more than 20 mill NOK in a bicycle roads network and bicycle transport infrastructure in Trondheim,
3) The Trampe bicycle lift being one of the most important infrastructure elements that has ensured the success of the system.

There is no doubt that Trampe has inspired students as well as other people living in Trondheim to take to their bicycles. In a user survey, 41 % of the lift users claim they're using the bicycle more often due to the installation of Trampe. Since the opening in 1993, it's pushed more than 220 000 cyclist up the very steep hill BBrubakken in the historical heritage part of the city center.

The cost of building the Trampe is reported to be 8,000 to 10,000 Norwegian Kroner (NOK) or about RM4,700 to RM5,900 per metre. The owner of the Trampe, Design Management AS charges 100 NOK or RM60 for a one-year keycard to use the Lift which works out to be less than 12 Sen per day!

So instead of continuously building highways into the city, I think we should emulate the Norwegian to build bicycle lifts to encourage the public to use bicycles instead.

What's your view?

A Joyous Occason: Qigong Master's Birthday Celebration

2007-06-17T12:06:00.000+08:00

A Remarkable Lady: Our Mum

2007-06-03T20:01:00.001+08:00

This article which appeared in China Press (Melaka Edition) on 27 May 2007 was written by my 5th Brother, ST who writes for China Press after his retirement as a teacher last year.

I will attempt to provide a translation of the article for those who do not read Mandarin:

"A good eating, sleeping and living habit is the secret of her longetivity!

This remarkable lady migrated from China when she was a young girl and married our father, Mr. Chua Choon Tiak who was a school clerk in Pontian Pei Chun Primary School. Together, they raised their 10 children and provided them with quality education. He had to work three jobs to support us.

Last November, the children celebrated her 93rd birthday in Pontian.

Inspite of her age, Madam Tan Hua Heang is remarkably healthy. Her secrets? No late nights, less salt and oil in her food. Sleeps and rises early everyday and did her morning exercise by tending to the flowers and sweeping the house compound. Her memory is equally amazing; she could remember the birthdays of every sons and daughters, and the 25 grandsons and grand daughters. She is a walking telephone directory for she can tell us the house telephone numbers of every one of us.

She was also extremely talented. When she was young, her mother taught her the art of transforming fish bones into a phoenix . Even at age 93, she still remembers the procedures and mesmerized us with her skill and dexterity when we requested for a demo.

She does not favour any one of her children and treats every son and daughter, daughter in law, son in law with fairness. She recognises everyone's weaknesses and strong points. She would not make comparision and she does not discriminate.

How does she maintain her memomy so well? Her secret lies in constantly exercising her brain by playing her favourite past times: mahjong and ginrammy. She enjoys this game of mahjong or ginrammy on Sundays with her sons, daughters or even grand children. Her skill in these games is amazing as she usually ends up winner for the night.

She writes beautifully in Mandarin. Most of us could not even write half as good as she does. She loves to read and apart from reading the newspaper everyday, she reads the Mandarin version of "Readers' Digests" and "Family" magazine.

She has a clean habit. She likes her things to be neat and tidy. When the children and grand children visited her and messed up the house, she would painstakingly rearrange everything back to its original position. She is very fussy when comes to putting things back to where they should be.

All her children and grand children and even the in laws respect and love her very much. She earns this love and respect by being kind, by not taking sides, by not prying into their affairs, by being understanding, and most of all, by being a GREAT mother! "

Three Demotivational Posters for the Day

2007-05-29T19:12:00.000+08:00

Joost TV is HERE!

2007-05-19T22:08:00.000+08:00

This is Joost, a beta site offering free (for now) high quality TV on PC here.

Joost is a new way of watching TV on the internet. With Joost, you get all the things you love about TV, including a high-quality full-screen picture, hundreds of full-length shows and easy channel-flipping.

These are some screenshots of the offerings on Joost.

I liked the World's Strongest Man episodes (Year 2000 to 2005) and Guinness Book of Records (40 episodes).

You will need an invite to test out the beta Joost.

Drop me a line if you want one.

Post Note: If you want an invite, please provide your full name and email address.
All requests will be entertained on first come first serve basis. Good luck!

Get Well Soon, Aunty Kuan!

2007-05-19T19:03:00.000+08:00

Read from Bernard's blog that Aunty Kuan is a little unwell.

Get well soon, Aunty Kuan, and hope your MU Team wins !
(sorry, Aunty Kuan.... Didier Drogba just scored! Nevermind, MU is still EPL champ!)

Here's a poem adapted for you from all of us aka BOB,
(courtesy of http://www.poemsource.com/)

We're sending this to let you know
We think of you each day,
And pray for your recovery,
Hoping soon you’ll be okay.

You’re going through a lot right now;
You’re treatments can be trying;
Remember while you do them
It’s your problem you’re defying.

Hold on to your positive attitude,
And when things get hard to bear,
Know that we're here for you;
Remember that we care.

And when you’re well and flourishing,
Look back and realize,
You learned what you were made of;
That’s a reward that satisfies!

By Joanna Fuchs

For Those Who Take Life Too Seriously

2007-05-17T23:41:00.000+08:00

Original from here :

Beijing Photos II

2007-05-14T16:16:00.000+08:00

I spotted this lorry ferrying workers to their work place. I asked my van driver why they did not have proper buses for them. He looked at me as if I was from outer space !

I counted more than 25 of these workers on the lorry. Seat belts, harness, helmets? Never heard of them!

Beijing Photos I

2007-05-10T09:35:00.000+08:00

The new Beijing Olympic Stadium.

This was the closest anyone could get to the spanking new stadium in Beijing. Picture quality was not satisfactory due to the haze/fog.

Nicknamed "The Nest", the stadium will be the venue for the opening ceremony on 8th August 2008.

The new Beijing International Airport from the air.

This photo was taken on 15 April 2007 as the plane took off from the existing airport.
The new airport is being built by the Chinese government in time for the 2008 Beijing Olympics and will be the world's biggest, bigger than all the terminals in Heathrow combined, according to its British architect, Lord Foster.

Shanghai Photos IV

2007-05-04T15:30:00.000+08:00

The crossroad junctions of some of the main streets in Shanghai are so wide that the City Council has provided these "Elevated Pedestrian Roundabouts" for easier and safer passage of pedestrian. Problem is to get people to use them!

Sunset at Yu Yuan Old Street, a well known tourist attraction in Shanghai. Here, one could sample the old architecture of The Bund while tasting some of the best "Xiao Long Bao" (小笼包) and local titbit.

This picture was taken in a Silk factory. With 2008 Olympics just around the corner, China could do well to improve on the quality of its english translation. Some of these are simply hilarious.

Shangahai Photos III

2007-05-02T15:57:00.000+08:00

This is the Sutong Bridge. It spans across the river mouth of the mighty Yangtze River where the deepest water is more than 100 metres deep. It links Suzhou and Nantong, hence the name, Sutong Bridge. To give it some perspective, the barge on the water was some 30 metres long!

The midspan between the two huge A-shape towers is 1,088 metres long, making it the world's longest cable-stayed bridge when completed. When this picture was taken on 10 April 2007, the gap between the two approaching box girder was a mere 200 metres. It is slated to be opened to traffic in September 2007!

Artist's impression of the completed Sutong Bridge, an engineering feat no less. No wonder the Discovery Channel was there to film this magnificient MEGA STRUCTURE!

Shanghai Photos II

2007-05-01T17:18:00.000+08:00

The 1st Tee Box at the Lake Melaren Golf Club in Shanghai. It is about one-hour drive from the city and the green fees on weekend is $1200 yuan or about RM650 each without caddy! It is expensive to play golf in China!

The rubbish bin in the Lake Melaren Golf Club has separate compartments for recycleable and non recycleable wastes.

These, unbelievably are urinals in the posh Lake Melaren Golf Club 's men's rest room. Nice!

Shanghai Photos I

2007-04-30T22:21:00.000+08:00

This lovely building is not a stadium or a concert hall. It actually houses a Rest & Service outlet along the Elevated Expressway just outside the Shanghai City limit.

The Maintenance and Toll Charges motorists had to pay to use the Elevated Expressway.

This multi-tier Flyover Interchange in the heart of Shanghai City is supported by a huge column as main support. Story had it that there was exteme difficulty carrying out piling and constructing the column and the Feng Shui master was consulted. He found out that nine dragon lived below this huge interchange and to calm them, the City Council must carve the image of these nine dragons on the circular column. True enough, the work was smooth after that and the interchange was completed without further difficulties. Unfortunately, the Feng Shui master died soon after for "letting the secret out" about these dragons. Believe it or not?

These guys were strung from the top of this multi-storey building cleaning the tiles. Spider Men they were indeed.

Not sure what is the name of this shrub but the pink leaves are so sweet.

The Cruise Boat at The Bund had this notice on its wall.

The high-speed Maglev Train from Pudong International Airport to Shanghai City. Capable of a top speed of 450 km/hr, it was unfortunately grossly under utilized due to cost of tickets.

The Bund at night.

Definition of Money

2007-04-23T23:39:00.000+08:00

Quote from David Marshall:

I've got nothing against money. I'd like to have money myself! I'd like to have a house and a garden and dogs and a car and a chauffeur but, look, I've got a flat. I've got a swimming pool attached to the flat. I've not even got a car but I use taxis. I have a dignified way of life without being wealthy.

I don't see the necessity of owning a Mercedes-Benz and a swimming pool and a couple of mistresses. I think we've got our values all wrong. What the hell do you do with all that money? You can't eat it! What do you do with it? Your children don't need all that money.

My children have had the best of education. In fact, I'm very proud of them. One of them is a senior registrar to two major hospitals in Oxford. Another of them is a consultant in European law to the Securities and Investment Board in the United Kingdom. They've had their education. There are no complaints. I never earned $60,000 a month or $90,000 a month. When I was Chief Minister, I earned $8,000 a month.

Look, what is happening today is we are encouraged to and are becoming worshippers of the Golden Calf.

We have lost sight of the joy and excitement of public service, helping our fellow men. The joy and excitement of seeking and understanding of the joy of the miracle of the living the duty and the grandeur. We have lost taste for heroic action in the service of our people.
We have become good bourgeois seeking comfort, security. It's like seeking a crystal coffin and being fed by intravenous injections through pipes in the crystal coffin; crystal coffins stuck with certificates of your pragmatic abilities.

The New Definition (For the Mandarin Educated)

2007-04-23T23:28:00.000+08:00

职位定义

總是在裁人的，就稱總裁；

老是板著臉的人简稱老板；

總想監視人的叫總監；

經常沒道理的人，就叫为經理；

讓領導秘密舒服的，自然是秘書。

窮人富人論：

欠個人的錢是窮人，欠國家的錢是富人；

喝酒看度數的是窮人，喝酒看牌子的是富人；

寫書的是窮人，盜版的是富人；

吃家禽的是窮人，吃野獸的是富人；

耕種土地的是窮人，買賣土地的是富人；

貧窮與富裕的新解：

貧窮時養豬，富裕後養狗；

貧窮時種稻，富裕後種草；

貧窮時想娶老婆，富裕後想找情人；

貧窮時老婆兼秘書，富裕後秘書兼老婆。

Happy Birthday to Me, Happy Birthday to Us

2007-03-22T16:31:00.000+08:00

Winnie sent this eCard from Canberra today to wish me Happy Birthday. Very thoughtful of her. I also sent birthday greeting to my other half, (no, not my wife, but my twins who is in Singapore).
To Raymond, let's have a wonderful birthday!

Datu Wira Poh Ah Tiam - Favourite son of Machap Baru

2007-03-20T10:55:00.000+08:00

Datu Wira Poh Ah Tiam, the MP for Machap Baru passed away recently due to illness. I did not have the previlege to meet him but have heard so much about him and his work from my brother, a retired teacher who works as newspaper corresponder.

I visited my brother, ST occasionally at his house in Alor Gajah and each time, he would treat us to a sumptuous dinner at Machap Baru where the food and wild life dishes are always fresh, exotic and CHEAP!

I have always marvelled at the friendliness and peacefulness of the new village, and the villagers' solidarity for the betterment of their village. This is especially evident during the festive season such as the Lunar New Year when the whole village was adorned with colourful lights and lantern, bunting etc wishing each other prosperity and good fortune and good health.

May he rests in peace.

Register To Vote

2007-03-16T11:33:00.000+08:00

Some said the GE will be this coming year-end school holidays. Some predicted it will be early next year (remember the GE must be held before end of 2008). I say it will be during the school mid term break in August from 18th to 25th. The reason: this coming Merdeka celebration will be our country's 50th anniversary as an independent nation. The Government is already planning a host of acitivities and carnivals for the occasion. It also plans to publish "Malaysia @ 50", a collective national family album by the Ministry of Culture, Arts and Heritage. Surely, the Government would want to capture and capitalize the euphoric mood of the rakyat, the feel-good modality of the people from all walks of life in the countdown towards our 5oth birthday.

So to all Malaysian, do register to vote in this coming GE.

I quote from Edelman, Marian Wright Children's Defense Fund Official (1939-)

"People who don't vote have no line of credit with people who are elected and thus pose no threat to those who act against our interests."

Congratulation to Roland Chua !

2007-03-03T08:50:00.000+08:00

Twin brother, Raymond's second son, Roland is now in the Singapore National Service. He had just received his A-Level results and what can I say? What smart kid he is !

A - Economics
A - Mathematics
A - History
A - Literature
A1 - General Paper
MERIT - History S Paper

In this competitive environment in Singapore where meritocracy is the ONLY criteria to succeed in everything, from good schools, to good jobs to good life, all kids are taught to be competitive right from kindergartens to Junior colleges and universities. No differentiation of race or religion, and no preference given for being the siblings of YBs, Ministers, or CEO of GLCs.

I wish him all the best in his future undertakings!

Well done, Roland. You have made us proud!

Hailstorm in Canberra

2007-03-02T12:50:00.000+08:00

Daughter Winnie frantically tried to call us on the night of 27 February to tell us of a massive hailstorm in Canberra at 8.00pm (11 pm KL). It was so severe that more than 60 buildings in ANU (Australia National University) were badly damaged and lectures had to be cancelled the next two days. These are two photos sent by her.

Locally only The Malay Mail reported this on 1st March 2007. The picture showed a guy in short sleeve tee shirt pushing his bike through the ice-covered streets in Canberra.

Has the world weather changed so much due to global warming?

Lunar New Year

2007-02-23T22:07:00.000+08:00

Lunar New Year has always held a very special place in my heart.

The feeling and the excitement of bonding with fellow siblings and their siblings, the greeting of "Gong Xi Fa Cai" to our loved ones and all, the giving out of "Ang Pow" or "Red Packets" to the younger ones, the meeting up with old friends whom we do not meet for a year, and most importantly, the few great days we get to spend with our dearest parents whom we hardly visit due to space and time, make this special day even more special.

This Lunar New Year which fell on 18th February was no different. Almost all of the 10 brothers and sisters and their siblings congregated at our dearest Mum's place to spend the new year together.

The reunion dinner was special in many ways. It brought all of us under one roof to dine and wine with our mum, to share our experience, our joy, our moments of sadness, the ups and the downs, the achievement of our children in universities and the work place, the exciting news of forthcoming marriages, graduation.......
Immediately after the dinner and the washing up, the younger ones waited patiently for the "Red Packets".

Then we waited for the clock to strike twelve and sounds of "Happy New Year" echoed through the rooms and the streets outside. Fireworks litted the sky and the occasional firecrackers broke the silence of the night.
Traditionally, we would then head for the nearby temple to pray for the well beings of our family, for good health and for fortune. We also prayed that our dear Mum will have more good years with us.....

This new year, my twin brother who works and resides in Singapore was back as usual with his teenage children and his new toy: Canon DSLR 30D. He adores this new toy and I do not blame him, judging from the many great shots he had with this.

Upon my encouragement and persistence, he set up his brand new blog under the name "EUROVIENNA" and posted some of his great shots to share.

If you enjoy good photography, do drop by here to visit. With his permission, here are some of the shots.

Our SuperSpidyCat

2007-02-23T12:24:00.000+08:00

This was captured during our "rescue" mission of our pet cat which was being chased by neighbour's dog. She climbed to the top of the door grill and was trying to get down when we got to her.

The video was shot during the first day of the Lunar New Year 2007 by Mark at Mum's house in Pontian.

Happy Lunar New Year!

2007-02-16T10:06:00.000+08:00

To all fellow Bloggers and Cyberfriends, Happy and Prosperous Lunar New Year!

Gong Xi Gong Xi

2007-02-09T13:55:00.000+08:00

To all our relatives, friends and colleagues, we wish you:

A very Happy and Prosperous Lunar New Year !

From Chua SK and family
February 2007

RTM porno promo : They're still there !

2007-01-30T09:11:00.000+08:00

The juicy links left by Anonymous on 23 and 26 January 2007 are still there this morning. Can RTM do something about this ...........quickly ?

RTM Web Page Hacked?

2007-01-29T13:20:00.000+08:00

The links posted by "Anonymous" on Jan 23, 2007 at 4.13am had been left there on the web page till today (Jan 29, 2007). Makes me wonder if RTM is promoting pornography or phonology?

A joyous occasion at Master's new house

2007-01-27T15:30:00.000+08:00

A get-together dinner party was held at our Qigong & Tai Chi Master's (Dato Dr Ong) spanking new house at Green Acres in Tropicana on the night of 26 January 2007.

Bernie : Guys & gals, Master's new house is ready and has just moved in. His birthday is also just over so why don't we organise a pot-luck dinner at his place?

John : Good idea, but please check with Master Ong.

Master Ong: Love to have you all coming to "warm" the house. Please bring along your vocal chords to sing your hearts' out!

All : We will be there, rain or shine.... wouldn't have missed it for the world !

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Freak Note - A New Addition

2007-01-18T18:00:00.000+08:00

Back.

Front.

This old note has a very serious error.

The serial number at the back of the note does not match. The top number is GA 1634474 but the bottom number shows GA 1633474.

Someone spotted this error and sold it to me to add to my collection. Its quality is less than satisfactory because it has been in circulation for a while but still a good Freak Note to collect.

Yes, it makes a lot of sense looking at your notes for major error like this before spending them!

A Strange RM100 Note !

2007-01-06T15:55:00.000+08:00

Front

Back

What a strange RM100 Note! What makes this Note special?

Firstly, the printing of Agung's face and the signature of the Governor of Bank Negara Tan Sri Dr Zeti Akhtar Aziz are badly flawed.

Secondly, this is a Replacement "Z" series (refer to the Note's Serial No.) which is supposed to replace those regular Notes that were found to have errors, defects or damaged in the printing process. In short, this Error Replacement Note needs another Replacement Note!

A very very scarce Note indeed!

Freak RM10 Note

2007-01-05T14:05:00.000+08:00

Front

Back

This RM10 note of the current Zeti series has a slight flaw in the printing of Agung's portrait.

As a collector of Freak and Error notes, I was unable to resist acquiring this from a fellow collector who offered it to me to add to my collection. See here and here for my other collections.

Another Freak RM50 Note

2007-01-03T13:46:00.000+08:00

Back

Front

This is another Freak RM50 note I acquired recently ( Please refer to the earlier posting on 29 September 2006 here).

The back of the note is normal but the front printing is flawed; the King's portrait is shifted about 4 mm upwards. The figure "50" at the top is truncated and appeared at the bottom. This note is the 1999 Ali Abu Hassan series which was replaced by the current Zeti's series.

So Many Carps! So Little Food!

2006-12-30T21:23:00.000+08:00

Nieces Ai Gek and Zhi Yi went to Huang Shan, China for holiday recently and took this shot of literally thousands of carps in a pond, fighting for foods that visitors had dropped. Wonder if one day the world should run out of natural resources, we are going to scavenge for food just like these carps??

Lunch at Kukup, Christmas Eve 2006

2006-12-28T16:40:00.000+08:00

Our Christmas Eve lunch was held at a seafood restaurant in Kukup, a fishing village at the southern most tip of Malaysia Peninsular. Well known for its vast array of seafoods, both from the sea and from the kellongs, this popular seafood paradise is mainly frequented by Singaporeans during weekends and public holidays.

We were there in 4 cars and had black pepper crab, fried prawn, squids, garoupa fish, vegetables, foo yong eggs and fried meehoon and noodle.

This shot was taken after lunch by Soo Tong. From the smiling faces, I can conclude that everyone was pleased with the lunch.

Proud Parents' Ranting

2006-12-20T17:39:00.000+08:00

Latest update: Taylor's advertisement in The Star paper on 29 December 2006.

Our eldest girl had just given us the best 20th Wedding Anniversary gift.... her excellent results in the SACE released this morning. (She was up at 6am trying desperately to log into the SSABSA website this morning).

Well, the wait and the effort were well worth it. She scored 18 and 19 marks for all 5 subjects (out of 20) giving a total SACE Score of 92. For University Entrance, her TER (Tertiary Entrance Ranking) point is a 98.85% which according to her was well above average.

We are all going out to celebrate her achievement tonight!

New Blog Layout - Thanks to Laluvirtual !

2006-12-08T15:44:00.000+08:00

This new blog layout was specially designed for me by Laluvirtual (http://freebloggertemplate.blogspot.com/). I do not know him personally but he obliged when I wrote an email to him after visiting his blog. He came back with the design within 2 weeks ! Wow, that's efficiency and unreserved helpfulness even to a total stranger! Thanks to you, brother Laluvirtual and carry on blogging!

Happy 20th Anniversary !

2006-12-07T22:06:00.000+08:00

7th December 2006 : Our 20th Wedding Anniversary!

Wow, how time flew us by! 20 years ago this day, we started our journey of life together, wide-eyed, curious but confident. We have our ups and downs. Looking back, we couldn't be more perfect for one another.

Now, 20 years later, we are proud to have brought up four beautiful young adults, each with their own characters, own strength and own resolves. And soon, they will spread their wings and build their own world and continue this wonderful cycle of life......

For the third time, we celebrated our Anniversary at Swenson's. This was the children's choice and we gladly obliged.

The following are shots of this joyous occasion. They were test shots taken with the newly acquired Panasonic Lumix LX1 Digital Semi Automatic Camera.

On the way to Swenson's, SS2, Petaling Jaya

Lamp shade above the table. Testing my new Lumix LX1 Camera, Night scene mode, manual

Colourful Lamp Shade Along the Walkway : Shutter priority, auto focus and no flash

Winnie, the eldest, waiting patiently for her food.

A shot on Ellen, the second daughter : Manual focus, slow shutter and no flash

Mark, our 3rd boy, posing with his Mum

James, the youngest boy, posed with Ellen

The soft ceiling light further softened by the helium filled balloons; Manual focus without flash, apperture prioriy

Slide Show : Mum's 93rd Birthday

2006-12-01T22:30:00.000+08:00

It will take a couple of minutes for the slideshow to auto start and to synchronize smoothly. Please be patient!

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When Lightning Strikes!

2006-11-29T21:19:00.000+08:00

Raymond sent me these photos taken recently in the compound of Ngee Ann Polytechnic campus in Singapore. These photos show the condition of a tree (not sure what species) that had been struck by lightning recently....... AND SURVIVED !!

According to eye-witnesses, the lightning bolt wrapped herself round the tree, leaving behind deep laceration marks on the tree trunk from top to bottom, but not spiltting it nor killing it!

A wonderful example of what Mother Nature is capable of !

Raymond's New Wheels!

2006-11-28T21:13:00.000+08:00

Raymond, my twins (bet some of you do not know I actually have an identical twin brother, do you?) who resides and works in Singapore, recently bought a new car. It's a NISSAN SYLPHY (BLUEBIRD) 1.5 Auto Silver. It costs him S$61,000 OTR and comes with Intelligent Key System!

Beauty, isn't it? Looking forward to ride in the car this coming Chinese New Year which falls on 18 February 2007 when all of us will congregate at dear Mum's place to celebrate the joyous occasion together. Can't wait!

A Tribute To a Wonderful Woman, My Dear Mum

2006-11-26T22:19:00.000+08:00

Happy 93rd Birthday!

When you were 1 year old, she fed you and bathed you.
You thanked her by crying all night long.

When you were 2 years old, she taught you to walk.
You thanked her by running away when she called.

When you were 3 years old, she made all your meals with love.
You thanked her by tossing your plate on the floor.

When you were 4 years old, she gave you some crayons.
You thanked her by colouring the dining room table.

When you were 5 years old, she dressed you for the holidays.
You thanked her by making a mess before leaving the house.

When you were 6 years old, she walked you to school.
You thanked her by screaming “I’m NOT GOING!”

When you were 7 years old, she bought you a baseball.
You thanked her by throwing it through the next door neighbour’s window.

When you were 8 years old, she handed you an ice cream.
You thanked her by dripping it all over the carpet.

When you were 9 years old, she paid for the piano lessons.
You thanked her by refusing to practice.

When you were 10, she drove you all day, from soccer to gymnastic to birthday parties.
You thanked her by jumping out of the car without looking back.

When you were 11, she took you and your friends to the movies.
You thanked her by asking to sit in a different row with your friends.

When you were 12, she warned you not to watch certain TV shows.
You thanked her by waiting till she left the house.

When you were 13, she suggested a haircut.
You thanked her by telling her she had no taste.

When you were 14, she paid for a month away at summer camp.
You thanked her by forgetting to write a single letter.

When you were 15, she came home from tiring shopping trip, looking for a hug.
You thanked her by having your bedroom door locked.

When you were 16, she taught you how to prepare a simple meal.
You thanked her by complaining about how troublesome it was.

When you were 17, she was expecting an important phone call.
You thanked her by being on the phone all night.

When you were 18, she cried at your high school graduation.
You thanked her by staying out partying until dawn.

When you were 19, she paid for your college tuition, drove you to campus carrying your beds.
You thanked her by saying goodbye outside the dorm so you wouldn’t be embarrassed in front of your friends.

When you were 20, she asked whether you were seeing someone.
You thanked her by saying “It’s none of your business!”

When you were 21, she suggested certain careers for your future.
You thanked her by saying, “I don’t want to be like you!”

When you were 22, she hugged you at your college graduation.
You thanked her by asking whether she could pay for a trip to Europe with your boyfriend.

When you were 23, she gave you furniture for your first apartment.
You thanked her by telling your friends those weren’t your taste.

When you were 24, she met your fiancé and asked about your plan for the future.
You thanked her by glaring and growling “Muuhh-ther, please!”

When you were 25, she helped to pay for your wedding, and she cried and told you how deeply she loved you.
You thanked her by moving halfway across the country.

When you were 30, she called with some advice on the baby.
You thanked her by telling her, “Things are different now, time has changed!”

When you were 40, she called to remind you of a relative’s birthday.
You thanked her by saying you were “really really very busy right now!”

When you were 50, she fell ill and longed to see you and hold you.
You thanked her by giving another one of filmsy excuses of not able to come home.

When you were…………

So, if your mother is still around, never forget to love her more than ever.

Because you only have one Mother in your LIFETIME!

By: Anonymous.

93rd Birthday of Dearest Mum

2006-11-20T12:49:00.000+08:00

19 November 2006 was the 93rd birthday of our dearest mother, Madam Tan Hua Heang. All her sons and daughters including the grand and great grand children were back from various parts of Malaysia and Singapore to celebrate this joyous occasion with her.

This picture was taken at home after the birthday dinner at ShangriLa Restaurant in our hometown, Pontian Kechil. Several cousins and brothers had rushed back to Singapore after the dinner and were not in the photo. Still, with about 45 of us, this makes a memorable shot, doesn't it?

25m Waste Man

2006-10-16T18:15:00.000+08:00

This 25 meter sculpture called Waste Man located in Margate, UK, was created by Antony Gormley. It is made entirely from recycled materials such as discarded broken tables, chairs, wardrobes, pictures, old rope, sofa padding and even toilet seats. Local volunteers, including teachers and builders, took two months salvaging junk for its construction.

His critics may say it is a load of rubbish and for once the controversial artist Antony Gormley would agree with them. This artwork was set alight recently as part of a day of filmed live performances called Exodus Day.

Freak 50 Ringgit Note

2006-09-29T16:04:00.000+08:00

As an avid collector of freak and rare notes, I recently acquired a freak Malaysia 50 Ringgit note from an auction site.

This is a very rare freak note as can be seen from the photograph. The note on top is a regular normal note while the freak note at the bottom reveals some major errors in the printing process; the King's portrait is missing and so are all the other important markings such as the RM50 sign and the words "Bank Negara Malaysia", "Lima Puluh Ringgit" and the signature of the Governor.

I am putting this item into my blog to share with fellow collectors and the public.

Thank you for viewing.

Ancient China Art - Transforming Fish Bones to Phoenix

2006-09-27T14:19:00.000+08:00

Amazing Chinese Art - Transforming fish bones into Phoenix !

This report was carried by the national Chinese newspaper some years back about the art of transforming fish bones into a phoenix. The "artist" is none other than my dear 93-year mother, Madam Tan Hua Heang, who hails from China. She learnt the art from her mother before migrating to Malaysia when she was still a young lady some 70 years ago. Inspite of her age, she still remembers the steps to make the transformation:

The fish head is first put in boiling water for about 15 minutes and taken out to separate the meat and skin from the bones. The bones are then soaked in soapy water for 30 minutes to rid of the fishy smell before air dry for 1 hour. Then, using a fine needle, any remaining meat between the bones are taken out and the bones are ready to be assembled together. What is most amazing is that no thread nor glue is required to do the assembly. The bones are fitted together as if the fish bones are specifically created for this purpose! Simply amazing.

I intend to make a video to share with the world and to archive this fast disappearing ancient Chinese Art.

New Blogger

2004-09-30T22:25:00.000+08:00

Hi,

I am a new blogger. Still trying to figure out how this works!

Do write to me and introduce me to this "new" world!