Perspectives

Migrating to Firefox

2007-01-04T00:25:00.000+08:00

Finally I looked into other internet browsers as an IE alternatives. Upon asking around, Firefox seems to come in as the one with the most recommendation. I will give it a shot...

My 2006 Financials in REDS

2007-01-01T16:00:00.000+08:00

The year 2006 came and gone with a sense of urgency. Much had happened in just 365 days. As I close my personal financial statements of 2006, it reviewed some interesting ... as well as not so comforting facts about my spendings. Here's the statistics:

A total of RM4580.45 had been spent on food and beverages. The figure accounted for about 6% more than what I have budgeted in December 2005.

As for transportation ... well ... the figure is ugly. It exceed more than 71% of the forecast. Here's some of the breakdown:

Fuel = RM2053.00 (Driving a Kenari-mah! Manual sum-more!)
Parking = RM80.50
Tolls = RM297.40
Service/Maintanence/etc. = RM1403.30

I had also spent RM435.00 on cinemas. On average of RM10 a show, that's like a total of 44 shows a year! This qualifies me as a movie enthusiast!!!

Around RM580.00 was spent on literature.

Summary:

I had not planned well enough and ended up spending an approximate of RM1800.00 more than I should. Of cause this figure is not 100% accurate since my accounting was not prudent enough...but given the fact that it captured around 95% of all my expenditures it was a pretty good feat!

FY07 will be more prudent in accounting and planning. I have also included a better breakdown and budget allocation and reporting.

Finally, it is cool to know where my expenditures went.

Footnote: This report is not presented in full and covers only items which yours truly wishes to review. This report ONLY covers expenditures. Believe him when he says, "Overall, FY06 for me is in RED!"

About Statistics

2006-12-21T00:10:00.000+08:00

Statistics! When I was a college undergrads, I really hated studying statistics. I even met up with a lecturer and dumped out my reasoning as to why I did not need statistics and math to made it through my undergrads programme and/or life.

It has been almost 3 years since I graduated. Now, I love statistics. Numbers tell stories. Thus I googled around and found that Malaysia has a Department of Statistics...OK...I am ignorant about this...do you know such one exist in Malaysia? Anyway, check it out: http://www.statistics.gov.my/index.php. It has been in existence since 12 October 1998!

What fansinates me is the World Population Clock. It is updated by the seconds. Here's the screenshot as of Thrusday, 21 December 2006 00:13:49 GMT+8:

We will revisit this World Population Clock again later.

The website does not offer much statistics except those of the country's economy. Well...something is better than nothing :). I am expecting things like the following but can't find any:

Income distribution vs. age/race/states
Internet adoption peneration in states
Political figure approval rate
Internet Banking adoption rate
Job/Career preference
etc...

Maybe this can't be found in the Department of Statistics of Malaysia. Perhaps these are trivial. Perhaps Malaysian are still developing their mentality on the usefulness of statistics. Perhaps we are ignorant on this...

Anyway, intro to Malaysia can be found at:

Ok, back to the World Population clock. The time now is Thrusday, 21 December 2006 00:30:28 GMT+8:

In about 15 min or so, world population increase by 2297 souls of which 18 0f them are Malaysians. Not bad! I wonder how they keep track of this. Worth a ponder, no?

Angkasawan is Astronaut

2006-12-18T21:58:00.000+08:00

This is great news. Angkasawan (that's Malay Language for astronaut) is finally not doing something pathetic in space! The previous blog by me on Wednesday, November 15, 2006 entitled A Malaysian Thing mentioned that Angkasawan is ready to do some pathetic stuff in space.

I am glad in the news release today that says that the Angkasawan will be conducting some researches posted by the local tiertary bodies as well as research institutions though the result will not be published.

The institutes, which drew up the experiments and will supervise the Angkasawan, are Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, Universiti Malaya, Universiti Teknologi Mara, Universiti Darul Iman, Universiti Putra Malaysia, Malaysian Genome Institute, Aviation Medicine Institute, Sunway University College, Health Ministry and Malaysian Agriculture Research and Development Institute (Mardi).

The experiments will be in the fields of life sciences, space medicine, physics education and food technology.

I am OK with this...provided on the food technology portion has nothing to do on how to make roti canai in space...

The 12 Days of Christmas Parody

2006-12-17T19:58:00.000+08:00

Christmas is coming. The mood is in the air. Here's this year's best parody for the holiday season. Enjoy! Oh do pay attention to what happens on the 1st Day of Christmas as well as the 10th Day of Christmas. Enjoy...

Oh...just in case you are wondering what's my favorite for last year? Well, it was 'The 12 Pains of Christmas'. Enjoy it too...

Merry Christmas everybody!

That Certain Dude: Relationship

2006-12-12T00:34:00.000+08:00

It all happened when That Certain Dude asked the most surprising question ever, "Heh, do you have a girl friend already ah?" I have been asked this question multiple times from multiple people and my answer is still very much towards the negative.

Below was the conversation between That Certain Dude (from here onwards will be known as TCD) and me over supper at a mamak stall somewhere in SS2, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. To those who know me, I referred to that mamak stall as 'the one that is near to the slaugther house' (I have yet to find out if that odd looking building opposite the road from the mamak is indeed a slaughter house...or perhaps something else).

The conversation script was recalled from my memory. If there was any portion which seemed to be dramatized, you have my assurance that it ain't fabricated as such. Everything happened 'as is'.

TCD: Heh, do you have a girl friend ah?
Me: [Look at the teh tarik, and sip it] No...why ask?
TCD: Erm... no-lah. You said you just been to a Christian Fellowship yesterday mah. Sure got a lot of pretty chicks one.
Me: Nope.
TCD: You mean all guys ah? [SFX: hehehahah] Eh...sure or not?
Me: No-lah. Just that none was available. [Take another sip of the teh tarik] ... How about you?
TCD: No also.
Me: Then why did you reject the gal who confessed her love to you the other time?
TCD: Actually there was another gal said she loved me.
Me: Wooho!...See...you're good! [Silent thought: Damn, is this his second time rejecting a chick?]
TCD: [Taking a bite at his Nasi Lemak Ayam] No-lah.
Me: Dude...you rejected a gal for the second time! I have not rejected any yet...heck, I have not even been approached by anyone. You damn lucky heh! [Silent thought: How can This Certain Dude be so much better than me? Refering to 'That Certain Dude' posting]
TCD: This is third time already!
Me: No sh*t!
TCD: Yeah!
Me: [With an astonished tone] How did you do that! I mean how did you get three gals to fall for you and take the liberty to reject them.
TCD: Dunno-lah [SFX: heehhaaha]
Me: [Took a few bite at my mee goreng] So...how did you get to know her.
TCD: Some friends' friend.
Me: Ok...tell me. How did you do that?
TCD: Do what?
Me: To get gals to like you. I can learn from you.
TCD: I dunno.
Me: Ok...let me ask questions and you answer.
[Without letting TCD giving his acknowledgement for my request]
Me: So...how it all started.
TCD: [Long pause while chewing his what seemed to be an over-cooked piece of chicken meat]
Me: So?
TCD: Dunno-lah.
Me: How do you make your move?
TCD: [Long pause while chewing his what seemed to be a totally over-cooked piece of chicken meat...with his eyes looking at me begging for a change of topic]
Me: Share it-lah!
TCD: We just talk-lor. Meet up with a bunch of friends and talk.
Me: [Expressionlessly responsed] Aha...How did you know she likes you.
TCD: You know lah...you just know one.
Me: Dude, if I know, I would not have been what I am now. Not desperate to have one...but having one is definitely good.
TCD: You will know-lah. You can feel it one.
Me: So how do you get in contact with her? As in...how do you get her phone?
TCD: Oh...after the makan and the people come and kira right, we all pay up and get ready to go. Then you took a few step and then quickly turned back and ask her for a phone exchange.
Me: That's your technique.
TCD: It is better to do it this way. [SFX: hehahahehaha]
Me: oookaaaay...
TCD: Then we started SMS-ing. After a while she will start to sms asking about your life and all.
Me: Did you ever call her?
TCD: Of coz-lah but very seldom.
Me: You did not answer my question on how you know the gal like you.
TCD: You know-lah. When you sit down and talk, she somehow pay more attention to you. Other guys talked to her she won't care much one. She is focused on you. Then you know lah.
Me: [With an enligthening tone] Oooh! Like that ah.
TCD: She will be so focused on you one.
Me: [With a tone of a dedicated professional tabloid interviewer] So what is the topic of conversation in that intimate moment then?
TCD: Heh...what intimate moments. Friends-lah. [SFX: aheheh]
Me: [Correcting myself as how a dedicated professional tabloid interviewer would] Ok...so what is the topic of discussion during that happening moment?
TCD: [Pause] ...well...talked about the topic of her interest-lah. If she likes the drink then talk about the drink, if movies, then movies-lah.
Me: [With an enligthening tone yet again] Oooh!
TCD: [SFX: heehahhahah]
Me: [Waving to the mamak to pay the bill using the very original Malaysian sign language of using the index finger pointing downwards and make a few circles] Kira!
TCD: Ah this is the moment you ask her for the phone [SFX: hahaehehahaeh]
Me:...
[We paided up and left the table to a nearby bootleg DVD shop. TCD shared more of his personal experience.]
TCD: If you want you can learn more of this technique by watching Hong Kong movies.
Me:... =_=
TCD: Korean movies also can. They got use a lot of technique one. But dun follow the Taiwan one. [SFX: hehahaeheha] Dun follow the Taiwan one. Hong Kong and Korean can!
Me: ... =_=
TCD: Go for those stupid-stupid one. They got give you good tips one.
Me: ... =_=
[Reached the bootleg DVD shop. While browsing around we stumbled upon some DVD covers depicting sexual contents]
TCD: [Jokingly] You can watch this one also...sure got technique one. [SFX: hehaaheh]
Me: ... =_=

He bought a bootleg CD and I fetched him back. I drove back after that.

Reflection: If you have read my previous encounter with TCD, then you and I should both of the =_= feel all over. A dude like him attracted three and reject them all. Hokkien has a saying 'Diam kau ga xi lan!' or literally translated to English as 'Quiet Dog can bite people to death' which means never underestimate anyone. I feel like a loser...

Fotenote: The tenses in the dialog seem out of place. It is as intended as you know-lah...we Malaysians where got use proper grammar one...let alone proper English?

A Mental Note on Religion

2006-12-08T00:01:00.000+08:00

In the film Kingdom of Heaven [2005] by director Ripley Scott, actor David Thewlis (cast as Hospitaller) said the following while being asked about his view on religion:

Hospitaller: I put no stock in religion. By the word religion I have seen
the lunacy of fanatics of every denomination be called the will of god. I have
seen too much religion in the eyes of too many murderers. Holiness is in right
action, and courage on behalf of those who cannot defend themselves, and
goodness. What god desires is here [points to head]
Hospitaller: and here [points to heart]
Hospitaller: and what you decide to do every day, you will be a good man -
or not.

It can't be any clearer an explanation to how we perverted the definition of 'religion'.

Googlebombing!

2006-11-23T22:58:00.000+08:00

I love Google. Apart from coming out with a cool name for a search engine, they also come out with a bunch of words the the dictionary of the 21st century. The word 'google' is already a noun and a verb.

Today through an IM message via a friend asking me to google for the world 'failure'. As it turned out, George W. Bush ranked first in the 'failure' search result? Surprised? I am more amused than surprised as George W. Bush in my personal opinion is the most ridiculed US president of all time.

The argument can go about him being the first US president in the new century...a century where information is so readily available. Then again, his political affairs are not one that I favor as well.

Anyway, let's leave this political dude and my reviews on him behind. What really happened is that George W. Bush has been googlebombed! Needless to say, George W. Bush ain't the most celebrated figure in the Internet.

As a side note, George W. Bush has some resemblance to a chimp.

A Blogger's Woe

2006-11-22T23:29:00.000+08:00

Recently one of my dude pointed me to Jimmy Chin's blog. Jimmy is a Sarawakian reciding in Kuching. Jimmy is a Malaysian. Jimmy has a very interesting blog site. His passion and afford onto this digital journal-a-like is one worthy of a true Malaysian Achievement.

Jimmy has a problem. His blog site is being plagiarized...by another blogger. I sympathize with him.

I am not much of a Mandarin guy so I can't really make out what Jimmy wrote at one of this more recent postings. a2Blog explained to me that he is actually highlighting out how the whole plagiarism take place.

What catches my attention the most would be the comments that came thereafter. We have a first-hand taste of Manglish (that's Malaysian English). Read them! Know our national pride.

Basically the comments are about a group of friends commenting (duh...) and also supporting one another on a issue at hand. This somehow provoked the plagiarizer and he reacted with a very lengthy comment. Read them. It is very mandarin-ly written. What is so surprising about this comment is the ability to blend proper grammar here and there with minimal spelling mistakes and totally vocabulary intensive content. The sentence structures are also very mandarin.

I giggled as I went through it. Try it out. Give your comments!

Malaysia from Another Perspective

2006-11-20T22:04:00.000+08:00

Recently I came across a forwarded email from a friend containing the following URL: http://www.theage.com.au/news/business/while-malaysia-fiddles-its-opportunities-are-running-dry/2006/11/14/1163266550487.html

Quite well written. It is enlightening to read something from another fellow's perspective...especially when the fellow is not within Malaysia.

A Malaysian Thing

2006-11-15T22:52:00.000+08:00

A very prominent local paper; The Star published an article about what will South East Asia's first astronaut do in space. The news headline titled 'Malaysia's first astronaut to do what no one in space has done before" was a catchy one.

Here's the excerpt of the news as featured in the paper online on 14 November 2006 (and published in its circular copies on 15 November 2006):

KUALA LUMPUR: Malaysia's first astronaut will do what no one in space has done before: play traditional Malay children's games without gravity.
The astronaut - yet to be selected - will play "batu seremban,'' or "five stones'' and spin traditional Malay tops in space, Agriculture Ministry parliamentary secretary Rohani Abdul Karim told parliament on Wednesday.

Rohani, who was replying on behalf of the Science, Technology and Innovations Ministry, said the astronaut would also do batik painting and making teh tarik.

While this does have its merits, I find this is stuff is blown way out of proportion. Some astronauts can do an armpit fart in space and he/she can be known as doing "what no man has done before in space!"...well you get the drift. Camon, Malaysian taxpayers don't want to see that they spend Rm95 million on some dude to play "batu seremban", print batik or making teh tarik in space. Leave this to the Malaysian enterpreneurs! Geez...

This is one thing I like about being a Malaysian (and I am sincere when I say this. No pun intended). Malaysians know how to make small stuff looks big, big stuff looks small and bad stuff disappeared into thin air.

Oh yes, Malaysians like to invent new terms to enrich the national language; the Bahasa Malaysia. A colleague of mine told me this once on what he heard over the local radio and it makes perfect sense.

When Russia sends a man to space, the man is called a cosmonaut.
When America sends a man to space, the man is called an astronaut.
When Malaysia sends a man to space, the man is called canornaut (pronounced as 'can-or-not').

I should probably stop here. However I can't help but to complete it as how my colleague or the radio ended it:

When Singapore sends a man to space, the man is called sureonaut (pronounced as 'sure-or-not').

It's a joke! If you get it good for you! If you don't (that's when you go 'huh?' and don't feel entertained) well then...life goes on :).

Democrat I AM!

2006-11-08T22:31:00.000+08:00

The recent America 2006 Mid-Term Election for the House of Representative (Congress) as well as the Senate sparked some interest in me to find out something about Democrats and Republican.

Based on http://wise.fau.edu/~rpwatson/Just_Vote/just_vote_005.htm, these are the differences:

Democrats are more liberal in that they favor progressive change in society, freedoms from government intervention into one’s private and social life, and regulations on economic activity and businesses.
Republicans are more conservative in that they favor traditional institutions and the status quo, restrictions on private and social activities, and freedoms from government controls over economic activity and businesses.

Of cause this does not mean we can't find Republican-like sentiment within Democrats and vice versa. Below are some issues that you can used to determine either you are a Democrat or Republican:

1. Abortion
Democrats: Abortion is a woman’s right and should be legal
Republicans: Abortion should be illegal and restricted by government

2. Flag Burning
Democrats: Flag burning is political speech and is protected by the constitution
Republicans: Protect the flag from burning by a constitutional amendment

3. Gun Control
Democrats: Favor/Gun control is needed
Republicans: Oppose/Gun control is unconstitutional

4. Natural Environment
Democrats: Strong regulations are needed to protect the environment
Republicans: Strong environmental laws harm the economy

5. Race Relations
Democrats: Strong anti-discrimination laws are needed
Republicans: People and businesses can be trusted not to discriminate

6. Minimum Wage
Democrats: Favor/Increase the minimum wage to help workers
Republicans: Oppose/Do not raise the minimum wage because it hurts businesses

7. Healthcare
Democrats: Government should require universal access to healthcare
Republicans: Private insurers are preferable to government mandates

8. Taxes
Democrats: Increase taxes on the wealthy to pay for public programs
Republicans: Cutting taxes for everyone helps the economy

9. Military
Democrats: Cut military spending; expand veteran’s benefits; act in concert with other nations and/or with support from NATO and the UN
Republicans: Increase military spending; cut veteran’s benefits; don’t be constrained by other nations or by NATO and the UN

10. Death Penalty
Democrats: Oppose/It is not a deterrent and innocent people are in jeopardy
Republicans: Favor/The death penalty is necessary and effective

11. Gay Rights
Democrats: Favor/Gays rights and marriage are civil rights
Republicans: Oppose/Marriage is a sacred trust between a man and woman

12. Prayer in School
Democrats: Oppose/Violation of the separation between church and state
Republicans: Favor/It is a religious right and our Judeo-Christian heritage

From the 12 issues, 9 out of 12 times, I vote for Democrats...which is somewhat quite accurate for all these while I prefer Democrats' approach to world and US affairs (hey, I am a Malaysian but US affairs affects everyone partly because they are the world economic powerhouse...still).

Of cause you can say 'I don't care' and ended up as an Independent...but hey for the sake of fun, choose a side. It is not a firm stance but it is quite interesting to know which side you are in :).

Magneto, Dr. M and Wikipedia - The Malay Supremacy

2006-11-04T21:47:00.000+08:00

If this is a prank, it is one heck of a good one: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0499519/

The last time a Hollywood film featuring someone prominent (even fiticiously) in Malaysia was Zoolander (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0196229/) and it was not shown in Malaysia.

I would surely like to see Magneto if it ever gets released! Can't help but wonder, which side will Dr. M be on?

Time will tell...sooner or later time will tell...

On a separate note, Wikipedia featured an article about The Malay Supremacy (Ketuanan Melayu) today: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ketuanan_Melayu

The Number of the Devil

2006-10-25T22:03:00.000+08:00

A screenshot taken on my D drive. It's 666MB. It is significant since I opened up 'My Computers' and there you go!

On a more interesting note, I prefer to call the '666' as the number to signify antichrist as I feel it is more accurate.

Other people has more interesting explanations and some of them do beg for second opinions and/or should be given second thoughts.

Check it out at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Number_of_the_Beast

English: As Is!!!

2006-10-20T20:36:00.000+08:00

English is a beautiful language. English is even more beautiful when used in the direct word-for-word translation from another language. English is the most beautiful language in the world when used in the direct word-for-word uncompromised translation from another language with all the proper grammar in place.

Let's explore this and hopefully by the end of it you will agree with me. The translations and comments are mine :) :

In a temple, Bangkok:
"IT IS FORBIDDEN TO ENTER A WOMAN, EVEN A FOREIGNER, IF DRESSED AS A MAN."
Correct Translation: "WOMEN AND TRANSVESITITES ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE TEMPLE."

In a cocktail lounge, Norway:
"LADIES ARE REQUESTED NOT TO HAVE CHILDREN IN THE BAR."
Correct Translation: "CHILDREN ARE NOT ALLOWED IN THE BAR."

Doctor's office, Rome:
"SPECIALIST IN WOMEN AND OTHER DISEASES."
Correct Translation: "GYNECOLOGIST"

Dry cleaner's, Bangkok:
"DROP YOUR TROUSERS HERE FOR THE BEST RESULTS."
Correct Translation: "PLACE YOUR LAUNDRY HERE."

In a restaurant, Nairobi:
"CUSTOMERS WHO FIND OUR WAITRESSES RUDE OUGHT TO SEE THE MANAGER."
Correct Translation: "PLEASE REPORT OUR WAITRESSES' MISCONDUCT TO THE MANAGER."

On an Athi River Highway (This is the main road to Mombasa, leaving Nairobi):
" TAKE NOTICE: WHEN THIS SIGN IS UNDER WATER, THIS ROAD IS IMPASSABLE."
Correct Translation: "DON'T PASS IF THIS SIGN IS SUBMERGED."

On a poster at Kencom:
"ARE YOU AN ADULT THAT CANNOT READ? IF SO, WE CAN HELP."
Reality Check: How can an adult who can't read read the poster? The poster is flawed at its most fundamental sense...

In a city restaurant:
"OPEN SEVEN DAYS A WEEK AND WEEKENDS."
Correct Translation: "OPENS DAILY."

A sign seen on an automatic restroom hand dryer:
"DO NOT ACTIVATE WITH WET HANDS."
Reality Check: All these while I thought hand dryer is used to dry off wet hands...

In a cemetery:
"PERSONS ARE PROHIBITED FROM PICKING FLOWERS FROM ANY BUT THEIR OWN GRAVES."
Reality check: Even the dead has to be governed by earthly laws...

A Hotel's Rules and Regulations, Tokyo:
"GUESTS ARE REQUESTED NOT TO SMOKE OR DO OTHER DISGUSTING BEHAVIOURS IN BED."
Possible Correct Translation: "PLEASE BE DECENT AND DO NOT SMOKE IN THE HOTEL ROOM."

On the menu at a Swiss restaurant:
"OUR WINES LEAVE YOU NOTHING TO HOPE FOR."
Correct Translation: "OUR WINES ARE GUARANTEED TO SATISFY YOU."

In a bar, Tokyo:
"SPECIAL COCKTAILS FOR THE LADIES WITH NUTS."
Possible Correct Translation: "SPECIAL COCKTAILS AND NUTS FOR LADIES."

Hotel, Yugoslavia:
"THE FLATTENING OF UNDERWEAR WITH PLEASURE IS THE JOB OF THE CHAMBERMAID."
Correct Translation: "LEAVE THE HOUSEKEEPING TO THE CHAMBERMAIDS"

Hotel, Japan:
"YOU ARE INVITED TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE CHAMBERMAID."
Possible Correct Translation: "PAGE FOR CHAMBERMAID."

In the lobby of a hotel in Moscow across from an orthodoxed Russian monastery:
"YOU ARE WELCOME TO VISIT THE CEMETERY WHERE FAMOUS RUSSIAN AND SOVIET COMPOSERS, ARTISTS, AND WRITERS ARE BURIED DAILY EXCEPT THURSDAY."
Correct Translation: "CLOSE ON THRUSDAYS."

A sign posted in Germany's Black Forest:
"IT IS STRICTLY FORBIDDEN ON OUR BLACKFOREST CAMPING SITE THAT PEOPLE OF DIFFERENT SEX, FOR INSTANCE, MEN AND WOMEN, LIVE TOGETHER IN ONE TENT UNLESS THEY ARE MARRIED WITH EACH OTHER FOR THIS PURPOSE."
Possible Correct Translation: "NO COUPLING ALLOWED FOR UNMARRIED CAMPERS."

In a hotel, Zurich:
"BECAUSE OF THE IMPROPRIETY OF ENTERTAINING GUESTS OF THE OPPOSITE SEX IN THE BEDROOM, IT IS SUGGESTED THAT THE LOBBY BE USED FOR THIS PURPOSE."
Possible Correct Translation: "PLEASE CONDUCT SOCIALISING ACTIVITIES IN THE HOTEL LOBBY."

Advertisement for donkey rides, Thailand:
"WOULD YOU LIKE TO RIDE ON YOUR OWN ASS?"
Correct Translation: "DO YOU WANT TO RIDE ON A DONKEY?"
Comment: Nothing is wrong with the word 'ass' but we generally don't differenciate animals according to their gender...or else people would say stuff like "I own a bitch back home once."

The box of clockwork toy made in Hong Kong:
"GUARANTEED TO WORK THROUGHOUT ITS USEFUL LIFE."
Possible Correct Translation: "GUARANTEED TO BE DEFECT FREE!"

In a Swiss mountain inn:
"SPECIAL TODAY - NO ICE-CREAM."
Correct Translation: "SORRY WE DON'T SERVE ICE-CREAM TODAY."

Airline ticket office, Copenhagen:
"WE TAKE YOUR BAGS AND SEND THEM IN ALL DIRECTIONS."
Correct Translation: "WE USHER YOUR BAGGAGES ANYWHERE YOU GO."

In a laundry, Rome:
"LADIES, LEAVE YOUR CLOTHES HERE AND SPEND THE AFTERNOON HAVING A GOOD TIME."
Correct Translation: "LADIES, DROP YOUR LAUNDRY HERE AND HAVE A NICE DAY."

A sticker in a Japanese mall:
"VAGINAS ARE WAY COOL"
Possible Correct Translation: "LINGERIES ARE COOL."
Comment: No matter how I look at this, that sticker sounds perverted...

There you go! I know the moment you read some of those original translation your mind wonders around a bit. That's ok coz mine's as well. It is interesting to see just how other languages express themselves in their native tongue...and turned weird (or vulgar) when we translated to English.

[Believe It] Fashion Conscious Mona Lisa

2006-10-05T00:31:00.000+08:00

The most famous lady in the world is actually quite fashion conscious!

If you have never take a good look at her in her ONLY appearance to the whole world, then take a good look at her.

NO...it ain't that she did not wear any jewelleries.

Look closer. Look beyond her illusive smile. Look at her face.

Can't find it?

Well...she shaved her eyebrows. Yup, it was consider a fashion in Renaissance Florence to shave eyebrows as it was deemed classy.

I came across sometime ago somewhere saying that she was actually a little plump...which was also a sign of beauty for women back then.

Interesting fact heh?

Pink's Turf

2006-10-02T23:39:00.000+08:00

A dude by the (I will have to say 'oddly') name Pink does a great job on his trademark blog feature 'Pink's Percaya Ke Tidak'. I find it kinda refreshing with its interesting sense of humor. His comments are light and easy...just the right dose!

Now, all I need to do is to follow his footstep and find my own turf. Sort of a feature item in my block without losing the focus of my blog which is on the subject of my perspective on things.

I need to search...google...MY TURF IS OUT THERE...SOMEWHERE...

Back (Yet Again...)

2006-10-01T23:18:00.000+08:00

My blog has gone dormant again...until today when Pink reminded me that I had not been blogging. Yeah I have not been blogging...

Anyway, hope I can get back again with my blog.

Traffic Homocide & Traffic Suicide

2006-05-22T22:02:00.000+08:00

Nice terms! Got it off TraxFM.

Traffic Homocide is when a vechicle knocks another vehicle and causes road congestions. The magnitude of traffic homocide is measured by how many 'victims' are involved as oppose to how bad the jam is.

Traffic Suicide is when a vehicle breaks down on the road and blocks the normal flow of traffic. The severity is measured on how many lanes the vehicle takes up.

Between you and me, what is more annoying than the two traffic 'bloodspill' will the the amatuerish traffic detectives which slows down and 'investigate' at the crime scene!

Between Direct Sales & MLM: The Clarification

2006-05-08T23:47:00.000+08:00

Your phone rings. You pick up. Your friend said 'hi'. You 'hi'-ed back. Your friend invites you for a drink (or locally we just call it 'yam cha'). You...agreed...somewhat reluctantly. Your mind is filled with three thoughts in the following order of precedence:

Your friend is trying to share with you something about MLM.
Your friend is trying to inform you the importance of owning an insurance policy.
Your friend is really want to meet up with you to catch up on things.

These are stereotype Malaysian mentality when some dude/chick ask you out for a cup of tea. They are all good-willed people. They think that you deserve something better...and try to share something with you (with or without agendas).

Perhaps the most misunderstood among the three will be the MLM. MLM is a marketing/sales model which is relatively new in the market with a history of around 60 years (Amway being the world's first MLM company). Direct sales, on the other hand, is as old as human civilization itself.

The article Direct Sales vs. Network Marketing is the best description I can find on the Internet that explain them in the most neutral term possible. Below are some quotes...

Direct sales companies are known as "seller-based," which means they give more
income to the distributor when he or she makes a sale at retail.

Unless they have been appointed as sales managers, successful direct sales
people are paid based on their personal sales rather than on building an
organization of other salespeople.

Network marketing companies typically offer retail commissions that are much
lower, since more of the available commissions are directed toward bonuses paid
to various upline management people in the sponsor tree.
Residual income is money you earn from your initial sales and reorders and
the sales and reorders made by those you recruit and the ones they recruit, etc.
This process continues to generate earnings for you long after your day-to-day
attention to the "sale" or your sponsoring efforts has ended.

Thus based on the article, my deduction are as follow:

Examples of companies practicing direct selling:

DELL
TIME Magazine (basically most magazine/newspaper subcription)
HP
TM (formerly known as Telekom Malaysia)
Credit card agents!

Examples of MLM companies:

Amway
NuSkin
Synergy Worldwide
QuestNet
Elken

Examples of MLM-like companies but claimed that they ain't:

Lamp Berger

Examples of non direct sales/MLM companies:

Nestle
Colgate-Palmolive
Coca Cola
Gillette

Conclusion:

Difference between Direct Sales and MLM, to me, is very vague...thus all the misconceptions. Nonetheless, MLM model is a fantastic model for business growth since it reaches the widest market because MLM model uses human as part of thier publicity and marketing model. Maybe we should give MLM a second-glance before shoo-ing it away as heretical or stuff ((high drop-out rate).

My Way of Blog!

2006-05-02T23:07:00.000+08:00

Everyone has his/her own style. This is my style of blog. :)

Your Blogging Type is Pensive and Philosophical

You blog like no one else is reading...
You tend to use your blog to explore ideas - often in long winded prose.
Easy going and flexible, you tend to befriend other bloggers easily.
But if they disagree with once too much, you'll pull them from your blogroll!

What's Your Blogging Personality?

I got this off from Allen. Thanks dude!

Lucky Bytes!

2006-04-08T22:39:00.000+08:00

I am not much of a lottery junkie but hey...lucky bytes! 888 MB on my D drive!!!

Come to think of it, what is the chance of you striking '888' when you open up the 'My Computer' window while watching a DVD movie. Some say it is a hunch, I call it 'right time, right place, and right stuff to click'...or just lucky!

Note: For Chinese (particularly the Cantonese - a very wide-spread Chinese ethnic group), the number '8' (eight) is considered a very lucky number! Three eights (888) is the luckiest among all.

Mistakes, Failures, Disappointments & Tragedies

2006-03-30T22:53:00.000+08:00

No one like those words. I hate them...but they love me...BIG TIME! Let me introduce them to you.

First to make its way to the stage are the mistakes! Mistakes are illusively common and irritating. People say making mistakes bring meaning to life...which I tend to agree. I also agree that certain people are perfect in life...which in itself, based on my very own perception and belief, is the worst mistake in life. Perfect life means don't live life enough. Life is colorful...life is not perfect...just colorful. The three primary colors of life is joy, failure and fulfilment.

Failures are mistakes' best partner. However failures are a deceptful sort. If you have experience them then you would know them pretty well. When a failure reviews itself FIRST before you get introduced to the mistake...that feeling is a 1st grade confidence-breaker!

Next to walk to the stage will be the disappointments. Disappointments are children of failures and mistakes when they got married. If mistakes are irritating and failures are deceptive, then disappointments are pathetic! Disappointments have the habits to linger around you for a while...which can range to days or months at a time. Just imagine the whining and nagging disappointments can do to your mind. Ask those who just broke up with thier love ones...

Finally there're tragedies. Tragedies are when a very illusive mistake married a very deceptive failure and born a very pathetic disappointment and they all go on a family picnic! Tragedies are show stoppers. You meet one, it will stains your life! The tragic truth about tragedies is that they are devilishly incompassionate. Why? Coz' it can be a result from other people's mistakes, failures and disappointments.

There! Life is colorful...and to really appreciate it, you gonna make mistakes, go through failures, suffer the disappointments and live the tragedies. The Almighty sure is a deep-thinking artist! ;)

Unique Universal Laws

2006-03-14T19:38:00.000+08:00

Time again to impart some trivial (but kinda interesting) knowledge to everyone. We all have in one way or the other heard about Murphy's Law which says anything that will go wrong will eventually go wrong.

Below are some other lesser known, non-scientifically BUT intuitively accepted laws:

Lorenz's Law of Mechanical Repair: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will begin to itch. [Happens to me when I have fried chicken]
Beach's Law: Identical parts aren't.
Anthony's Law of the Workshop: Any tool, when dropped, will roll into the least accessible corner. [Talking about this one, I remembered that i dropped my watch which I had been wearing for the past 8 years into a toilet bowl! I won't go into telling you how it ended in there...so don't bother asking]
Tussman's Law: Nothing is as inevitable as a mistake whose time has come. [You will have this in your gut feeling when it comes]
Lowery's Law: If it jams, force it. If it breaks, it needed replacing anyway.
Peer's Law: The solution to a problem changes the problem. [It happens to me in high-school & college math...I wonder if this is universally true to you as a reader?]
William's Law: There is no mechanical problem so difficult that it cannot be solved by brute strength and ignorance. [Can't lockpick a door, break it open!]
Handy Guide to Modern Science: If it's green or it wiggles, it's Biology. If it stinks, it's Chemistry. If it doesn't work, it's Physics.
IBM's Pollyanna Principle: Machines should work. People should think.
The Dilbert Principle: The most ineffective workers will be systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage - management. [OK, I have no comment on this]
Ehrlich's Law: The first rule of intelligent tinkering is to save all the parts.
Ralph's Observation: It is a mistake to allow any mechanical object to realize that you are in a hurry.
Cannon's Comment: If you tell the boss you were late for work because you had a flat tire, the next morning you will have a flat tire.
Cole's Law: Thinly sliced cabbage.
The Law of Common Sense: Never accept a drink from a urologist, nor a friendly handshake from a proctologist. [The problem with this law is that many people DON'T have common sense]
The Law of Reality: Never get into fights with ugly people, they have nothing to lose.
The Law of Avoiding Oversell: When putting cheese in a mousetrap, always leave room for the mouse. [Ideal to get people out of trouble. Under-promise (room for going over the target) and over-deliver]
Law of Physical Displacement: Sometimes you are the dog. Sometimes you are the hydrant. [Stuff like this happens all the time. People usually say 'Sh*t happens' when this law takes place]
Legal Rights: Everyone has a right to be stupid. Some just abuse the privilege. ['Abuse the privilege' is when you are stupid but act intelligent and deny that you are stupid]
Law of Probable Dispersal: Whatever hits the fan will not be evenly distributed. [Ever come across situation whereby you think you deserve heck a lot less punishment than your partner in-crime does?]
Law Pertaining to Divorce: Be a good housekeeper. When you leave him ... get a good lawyer ...keep his house. [Guys, the good way out of this is to take charge of the finances and put the house under her name. This way, you abide to the law and get away clean]

If you have more, do share it with me.

Listening to a Book! Huh? What?

2006-03-06T23:41:00.000+08:00

Yup, people read books...and that's common. I listen to some of them.

You see, the world has been in a constant change. Since the early 20th century, filmmakers have been adapting books to films. But what is lesser known to the general public is that with the invention of cassette, books have been read and recorded. Yup, someone read the book in cassettes and when you play it, it reads to you and it is like listen to a story...only that it was read and pre-recorded to cassettes (and also CDs) thus I call it 'listening to a book'!

They are known as audiobooks. It is ideal in situations whereby you are not a reader (and most Malaysians by concensus aren't), or you are just plain busy commuting around or perhaps you just want to keep your ears occupied during your daily chores.

Audiobooks are wonderful stuff. I can get them from the local bookstores or visit http://www.audible.com. For the more adventurous ones, you can visit the dark alleys of cyberspace to leech a copy or two.

Nowadays, I drive and listen to these audiobooks. Some of them are really good...and when the reader reads it with compassion, man, the book comes to life! Try it!!!

Pirates!

2006-03-02T00:26:00.000+08:00

Pirates. Yeah we have them all over the place. If you are downloading bittorrent stuff or just any of those p2p stuff whereby you don't legally purchase and you share it out, by legal definition, you are a pirate. Yeah, that's the ugly truth. We have pirate blood in us.

Anyway, it is a good time we discover some facts behind these socially misjudged profession. Refering to http://blindkat.hegewisch.net/pirates/capcrew.html, you will be amazed by what pirates live have to offer.

Geez, they have codes to follow. They are (to a certain extent) compassionate organization [Article 2 & 8]. They are quite gentlemen [Article 9].

My favorite is Article 2. Woooh, when you get marooned and you have one bottle of powder, one bottle of Water, one small Arm (hand gun or something equivalent), and shot (bullet). Just imagine what you can do with that. It reminds me of why Jack Sparrow (played by Johnny Depp) in Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl was so reluctant to fire this one shot.

Not forgetting too that pirates have insurance! Yeah, those of us who don't have one, you probably have a life lower than those robbers of high seas. :P

So, conclusion: piracy is organized activity (or some people would prefer calling it as 'crime').

Alrite, matey, to plunder & riches!!!

On Human Networking

2005-12-12T16:57:00.000+08:00

This blog is a sequel (if you can call it that way) to my previous entry 'On Networking'.

I know most people will dread when it comes to reading an academic or business journal and I am no alien to that. However, I visited Harvard Business Review (HBR) Online out of curiosity and I found out this interesting article on human networking. Author Brian Uzzi and Shannon Dunlap had written an interesting article "How to Build Your Network" for HBR. This is one of those things that it happens subconsciously around us and no one really bothered to notice it until someone actually spend some time researching on it.

I will just brief my way through this article. In essence, this article talks about everyone of us is an information broker who is actually a person whose role is to connect distinct group of people with another set of people. Everyone, one way or the other, is an information broker agent. It is a matter of how 'effective' you are at that role.

Next comes the explanation of why we network around. Primarily it is for three reasons:

To obtain private information.
To gain access to a diversified set of skills.
To reach out for power.

Those reasons might be trivial to us since we are doing it all the time without our realization. However the interesting part will be, "Why certain people are more successful than the rest?" The article explains it off by relating it to the type of information broker you are linked to. Since everyone is an information broker AND everyone is unique to him/herself, we need to figure out who we know is the best information broker. One can be a good information broker in Group A but a very 'unproductive' broker in Group B. Thus from this deduction (my own deduction independent from the published HBR article) is that there is no such thing as 'the best information broker in the world'.

The article goes on to explain how you can identify who is your efficient information broker but I won't explain it here. Readers need to do some proper readings anyway :).

Most of the time, if we observe well, our network is clustered (i.e.: A bunch of IT people know very, very few people outside of that discipline and if they do know someone within the same sphere of discipline, it will be geographically bounded to thier proximity of reach). Uzzi and Shannon called these two characteristics as:

Self-similarity principle (we usually mingle with people with the same mindset and resemblence. i.e.: IT people knows more other IT people)
proximity principle (we usually know people who are reachable by us. i.e.: The people we know are usually those who we usually meet and are within a certain geographical location)

To forge a better network connections, one should indulge in what the authors called shared activities principle which is actually referring to social activities like sports and community events. Reason being is that social activities, regardless of its size, contitutes a gathering of people with the same interest (self-similarity principle) within a geographic proximity (proximity principle). What brings these people together is not thier professional or formal interest but rather a pass-time and/or common interest (passionate) in a specific informal activity. In short, for once, everyone let down thier professional egoism and indulge in a moment of light chattering and mingling where the thought of formality in communication is almost non-existent.

That is how CxO gets to know other CxO from other industries, business person gets to know future customers or clients and singles meeting up with thier future mates. They build rapports which eventually get promoted to be excellent business leads.

This article is good stuff. Go and read it since I am just summarizing the whole stuff here. I hope my summary is close to the actual. Hmmm....

On the Word 'Stuff'

2005-12-07T17:26:00.000+08:00

Perhaps one of the most commonly used word in my everyday vocabulary (during formal meeting, presentation, daily conversation, writing, blogging and stuff) is the word 'stuff'.

If you are diligent enough, go and check out the meaning of the word 'stuff' at Dictionary.com. What you will find is that it gives you a lot of meaning and applications. 'Stuff' is a happening word. It is one of the most widely adaptable word in the English language. (Example: Q: "What are you doing in the toilet for so long?" A:"Argh, just stuff. I will be done right in a sec.")

Here are some ways of how I make use of the word 'stuff':

In my laptop, desktop and in fact even in my company test servers, there will be a favorite folder in the internet browser with the named 'stuff' on it which contains all sorts of URL (Internet website links) which I can't or just plain lazy to sort out.
In my laptop and desktop there will definitely a folder called 'stuff' whereby I dump all my unzipped files, downloaded files and stuff. Reorganizing these temporary stuff takes time.
In my everyday conversation, in order to cut sort of explaining things through numerous examples I will go about saying "Examples will be like french fries and stuff like that" to refer to junk food.
During presentation or formal meeting, I use 'stuff' to avoid explaining dull mundane stuff. "Stuff like worms and viruses are part of life" or "To do stuff like that, you need to get the server optimized" or "Stuff will get done if you just stay focused".
I explain away errr...less-than-keen-to-answer questions (usually just small talk stuff) by saying "I am busy with stuff now."
In writing stuff, I will just go about making out sentences like what you have been reading all over this blog right now. Stuff like that comes naturally.
Finally but not the least if I can't figure out a good title or topic for a certain discussion or stuff, I will go and explain it off by "About and stuff" (i.e.: About Voodoo and stuff).

As you should realize by now, the word 'stuff' appeared numerously all over this blog. As an irony, the word 'stuff' really means a lot of stuff. Stuff gets explained through the word 'stuff'. Happening word this 'stuff' is.

On Networking

2005-12-06T17:23:00.000+08:00

Recently, people around me has been telling me that they wish to build a large network of friends and associates. That is all together a good and very positive thing to do. Mingling around the network of people we know can keep us connected to the world around us more intimately.

If one is looking to start one's own business venture, the network of people you know is everything. This network of friends and associates will later be either your business partners or customers and/or both.

BUT, what have we done about it? Generally most people I come about relate networking with another human being through thier current work environment. Well, that's possible but that's limited. A bunch of IT people knowing another bunch of IT people is not enough. As an IT dude, it has dawned on me that knowing IT people (as in people in the same industry that I am currently attached to) is simple. Knowning people from other industries is where the challenges are.

Do a little 'self-googling' and see how many people in the following industry do you know:

Medical / Health
Marketing / Advertising
Distribution / Supply Chain
Law & Judiciary
Banking / Finance
Engineering
Business owners
Academic / Education / Research

An average person may know a few people here and there but if one desires to go far in achieving ones noble dream, one should go up the also seek out the big shots or those higher ranked people in thier respective industry as swiftly as possible. Yeah one fine day your good friend from high school will be promoted to a head surgeon but that is 10 years or so down the road.

I believe the network should go wide and high up the ranking hierachy. Horizontal growth is too slow and by the time it reach the level of maturity that you desired, your prime time is half gone. Vertical growth is desired. It will be a pain to 'click' with the industry veterans but that's how this 21st century is all about. Knowing more people, gain more knowledge and keep yourself dynamically engaged to keep updated with current affairs.

I guess that's one of my 2006 resolution - Focusing on vertical networking growth.

On Money

2005-10-10T17:44:00.000+08:00

People say 'Money is the root of all evil'.

I disagree. Here is my argument.

Money is a tool that manifests;
Money is influencial;
Money is not evil;
Money is important.

Money is the lubricant of life,
without it no civilization will stand;
without it there will be no 'us'.

Money is like a knife.
A knife is a tool for cutting,
and also a tool for foul acts.
A knife is capable of cutting and also killing.
What brings out the characteristic of a knife is its wielder - men.

Money is not everything,
but it sure is something,
b'cause without it nothing gets done.

Money can't gives you everything,
but it sure gives you heck of a lot of things.

Money can't buy health,
but it improves health.

Money can't buy happiness,
but it gives happiness.

Money can't buy love,
but it sweetens the courtship.

Money can't get everything done,
but it gets a lot of things done which eventually gets everything done.

Money is a manifest.
It seeks to control.
It seeks to dominate.
It seeks to break.
It seeks to also destroy.

BUT mankind is the ultimate manifest!
We seek to control.
We seek to dominate.
We seek to break.
We seek to also destroy.

We wield knifes and thus money.
It is a question of who controls whom.
Money can control men, and men can control money.
When money controls men, men turned evil.
When men controls money, men turned saint

Thus it is men and not money which is the root of all evil for men has one thing money does not have. Men has a mind!

Google [Yourself]

2005-09-30T15:50:00.000+08:00

Perhaps one of the most widely used Internet search lexicon will be the word 'google'!

Google is founded by the duo Larry Page and Sergey Brin. They developed a new approach to online search while studying at Stanford University (in their dorm room to be specific) and as how we usually put it to make a long story short; 'and the rest is history'. Today Google is widely recognized as the world's largest search engine.

Dictionary.com as this to say about 'google'. I will just quote one interesting portion from Dictionary.com:

The "Google" spelling is also used in "The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" by
Douglas Adams, in which one of DeepThought's designers asks, "And are you not,"
said Fook, leaning anxiously foward, "a greater analyst than the Googleplex Star
Thinker in the Seventh Galaxy of Light and Ingenuity which can calculate the
trajectory of every single dust particle throughout a five-week Dangrabad Beta
sandblizzard?"

Among ways of how I use the lexicon:

I have googled for it.
Have you googled?
Try goolging it.
You gonna google it!
All you need to do is to google for it.
Are you sure that it is not google-able? (meaning can't be found in Google)
Gone Googling!

Also, I googled myself (as in my name) and it took up the first three links of the result page! Try googling yourself and see if the world's best Internet crawler bot picks up your name from somewhere and listed it for the world to search for. The more links you have, the more famous (or infamous) you are!

Between Hari Merdeka & Hari Malaysia

2005-09-19T10:45:00.000+08:00

31 August 1957 was a historic date for Malaysians. That was the day where my country obtained independence from the British colonials. The leaders then did it without bloodshed but through dialog sessions and diplomacy.

But Malaysia was not formed until 16 September 1963. Here is a brief account. 31 August 1957 was the indpendence day for the Malay Federation (Tanah Persekutuan Melayu). That meant the Malay Peninsular which had 11 states obtained independence-ship. Malaysia was only formed when Singapore, Sabah & Sarawak joined into the Malay Federation in 16 September 1963. Look at it this way, when the United States of America was formed, it did not include Alaska. Alaska was bought over from the Russian with a bargain price. This was almost the same in the Malaysian context only that Singapore, Sabah & Sarawak were not bought. Citizen of all three states actually voted and agreed to join the Malay Federation. Thus when the three states joined, Malaysia was formed. However it is important to know that Singapore poted out from Malaysia in 1965 due to political differences (no bloodshed also).

I am not going against celebrating Hari Merdeka (or Independence Day). It should be celebrated nontheless but we should also give acknowledgement to Hari Malaysia (Malaysia Day). We have Malaysia because of Hari Malaysia. I just feel that Hari Malaysia is not given much deserved credit as it should have. The federal government does stage a celebration but not as grand or large as Hari Merdeka. That's ok, but at least Malaysian should get to know Hari Malaysia.

Perhaps I am from Sarawak and that sentiment is a little obvious. Hmmm...

Tracking 3 Month's Past

2005-09-12T17:09:00.000+08:00

I did a little backtracking on my schedules and leisures over the course of...say 3 months (early June 05 - 12 September 05) to see what I did for my free time which I could considered something meaningful.

OK, let's see, I finished

4 fiction novels
2 junior-novels (Narnia Chronicles)
3 non-fictions
1 RPG game
2 action games
3 adventure games
completed a 3 movie-in-the-cinema-a-day marathon (yes, an achievement!)
visited cinema more than 10 times inclusive of the marathon (Summer blockbusters)
watched more than 8 DVDs
started this blog
and bunch of other dubious stuff

Come to evaluate this, it seemed like most of my time was spent on entertainment. Gosh, just one RPG game alone will eat up 60+ hours! Now I know where have all my free time gone! The truth is ugly. YUCK!

About This Boy: Prologue

2005-08-25T13:12:00.000+08:00

Tomorrow was a day of mixed emotion for him as he held his one last get-together party at his hometown. A few selected friends attended the dinner. His parents were there too. So were the parents of two of his companions who were going to embark on the journey to West Malaysia to further thier studies.

This boy was eager to go but a portion of him felt the reluctance. His friends were still here. Some of them had gone out to see the world yes that he knew but there were still a lot of them in town. It was not much of a happening Friday night dinner. He had just one last thing to do to say one last thing to most of this friends before leaving.

That night, this boy just glued himself to his monitor and started typing a long email. In it, was his final comments on all the memorable moments he had about those people around him. He did not know why he did that, probably out of the that emotion of not wanting to leave his friends. As it turned out, the email was long and it was directed to a group of friends. This was his first mass-mailing. After that, he went to bed. Seven hours later, he was going to take off heading for Johor Bahru where he would stay a night with 3 friends and later the next day, they were going to head for Melaka.

This is his first true journey out of house and he did it alone with two handheld luggages and a backpack. On mid April 2000 his journey which he would later named it as 'The Bachelor's Degree Saga' began.

That Certain Dude!

2005-08-23T10:30:00.000+08:00

I was having a by-the-roadside supper last night upon an invitation of that certain dude. Now this dude is an interesting guy and like all interesting guys, he has something very special in him. Like all interesting narration, that certain dude has a certain personality and that personality is uniquely his! This narration focuses on one of his reasonings.

Back to the story. That certain dude was a little sick; a sore throat. He pointed his fingers to some heaty chinese food that he took at lunch and occasionally accused something he ate for dinner. For whatever the reasons, no reasons were apparent. The dude was already having an early warning of dehydration.

All looked good for now until he said one of the more interesting things, you know, one of those things you don't really get to hear much in life. He said he needed to take beer with an outstanding reason that beer itself was cooling (Cooling refers to a chinese jargon for food that can lower down the body heat and prevent dehydration) and can cure or at the very least sooth sore throat. As open-minded a guy as I am, I took it openly with a squinch of an eye; doubtful.

So we proceed to a certain chinese coffeeshop and he ordered a large bottle of beer. I took my favorite beverage - chinese tea (geez, this easy-to-make low-cost beverage cost 50 cents in KL those days).

I inquired a lot on his statement of why beer could sooth sore throat. That certain dude gave me the same response; that beer was cooling. However he did add that stouts are a heaty (food that keeps you warm) beverage. I find this very contradicting. Both beer and stouts are made from malt. How can one be cooling and the other heaty? I maybe wrong on this but I just find this newfound fact quite interesting. He concluded that if drinking beer did not cure him from the sore throat, he would take a medical leave the next day...a remark I found quite futile in bringing out any justification to whatever sorry state he was in.

To make the long story short by cutting out the minor details, I told him that why not take some medicine. He said he did. That's good. He said he took strepsils. That made pretty lot of sense to me. I just did not get the part where the beer came in. Once you gulped down a pint of beer that is soothing I know but that's just that!

I conclude this narration with an eager-to-know if beer would cure sore throat. As of the mean time I am still pretty certain that that certain dude took beer that night simply because he felt like drinking it. He ain't no stranger to beer and most alcoholic beverages. Help me out in your comments.

Appended on August 24th 2005:
I called that certain dude last night. Apparently he was not getting any better. I casually mentioned about the beer. He sheepishly said, "I guess it did not help at all!" So the verdict is clear. Beer is not a remedy for sore throat.

It is also clear that human sometimes cooks up reasons just to satisfy their deepest wants even if it means making oneself believe that his sense of action is actually driven by a just cause. Human will go an extra steps sometimes to nail in certain false believe so tight into thier memory that in the end this malicious and false belief actually drives him/her.

That certain dude and his view on beer can cure sore throat is one such classic case. That's why I call him 'that certain dude' to protect his identity and well being.

Footnote: Added on August 25th 2005:
We went out supper again last night. This time the told me he had to consult a doctor and the doctor issued him sedative. Sedative?!! Did he know what he is talking about? I don't know any doctors offering sedative for sore throat. Hmmm... To sum up and end it all, apart from not giving in to false belief which lead to a self-fulling prophecy, one should also no just use words when one is not clear of its meaning.

Between Being Busy & Being Occupied

2005-08-22T14:28:00.000+08:00

Most of the time, people is just occupied and not busy. Busy is when things you need to do is urgent and important. Occupied is when things you need to do is important but not too urgent.

Thus based on that argument, I am most of the time occupied. I know most people won't care about this but separating them will give me a good control over things. Being busy means you may need to skip meals and such. Being occupied is just that you have things to do but not truly so busy until you start to skip meals.

[Unusual Facts] - Murphy's Law

2005-08-09T14:33:00.000+08:00

We know the Newton's Law of gravitation or the Coulomb's Law but few of us know what's the Murphy's Law. Of all the laws that governs the nature of things, I find the Murphy's Law (as explained in Wikipedia) as the most intriguing.

Here's an extract of a few interesting points of this intriguing law:

Nothing is as easy as it looks. (Yeah, once while in office I was trying to look for a floppy disk to test out some really old application. Guess what, there was not a single floppy disk in the office...and we are looking at the world's largest software company)
If anything simply cannot go wrong, it will anyway. (Aaah, this is a classic one! There was one time while I was still a student and I was asked to do a short 15 minutes presentation. I got it all iron out. The diskette was ready...all set and good to go. Then, sh** happened. The diskette which I put on the table just moments before my turn to present was mistakenly taken by one of my course-mates and he was heading home. I was on stage without my presentation slides and all. Luckily the lecturer cut me some slack and I rushed to the nearest room in the campus, slot in another new floppy disk and copied the presentation into and and rushed to the presentation hall. It took less than 10 minutes. My turn came and I slot in the diskette...AND...what i got was 'disk error'! To cut the story short, the presentation was done without my presentation slides and until this day I am still wondering how one floppy disk got screwed in a 5 minutes travel through the campus? Things just go wrong if it is meant to be!)
If you perceive that there are four possible ways in which a procedure can go wrong, and circumvent these, then a fifth way, unprepared for, will promptly develop. (13 January 2005 - Thursday. I was at this event called TechNet/MSDN in Sunway Convention Centre. If you had forgotten, that day was the day that half of the Peninsular Malaysia experienced blackout! My colleagues had the event planned out well with all the backup plan and all but without a power supply, nothing worked!!!)
Left to themselves, things tend to go from bad to worse. (Try not cleaning your room for a while and you will get to see the result.)
It is impossible to make anything foolproof because fools are so ingenious. (Name me a consumer software application that has not been cracked.)
Whenever you set out to do something, something else must be done first. (If only I had gone through that tutorial last night...argh [Sounds familiar?])

Full list of the law is available at here. Believe me, you will love it when you read how Murphy's Law is explained in the military and love context.

About This Boy: Abstract

2005-08-05T10:00:00.000+08:00

This boy could still remember when it was his turn to walk up the stage and received a scroll-or-alike thing to symbolize his graduation from his formal academic life. He actually had this mixed feeling towards that auspicious event. Certain of his friends looked forward to it very much. Some just took it on as if that was a gesture of formality to mark an official end to thier academic life. A handful of them took it on with certain degree of reluctance. These handful of people felt that one of thier greatest moment in thier young adult life was over. Time to step into the next chapter of life.

If this boy could put down in words how the 4 years he spent in his final part of this official academic life, this boy would say it was like an epic film. This boy, as imaginative and as enthusiastic as he could be about movies, would call this past 4 years as a saga. This boy called it "The Bachelor's Degree Saga". It was a 4 episode 'film'; from the chronicling beginning of his day in the university to the final epic ending 4 years later.

This boy would call his movie an epic attempt. Not everyone shared the same view with this boy but he upheld his belief firmly. Life, according to this boy, was one major film. And in this film, there were sequence of themes that would eventually split the film apart into episodes. One such theme for this boy would be the sequence on how he obtained his Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology.

And this is his story in his own words and accounts...

[To Be Continued in Prologue...]

My Favorite Movie Quotes

2005-08-04T11:03:00.000+08:00

We all go for movies every now and then. What makes a movie wonderfully powerful and memorable? That's a blog for another day but for now I will just focus on some of my favorite movie quotes which are quite applicable in everyday conversation.

Before that, I would make known of some quotes listed by the American Film Institute's 100 Top Movie Quotes of All Time!

I will list mine with some of my personal comments. There are in no particular order of favorism.

"I'm going to make him an offer he can't refuse." from The Godfather [1972]. The Godfather Trilogy has a profound impact on me. My personal favorite will be The Godfather II [1974] which has such a wonderful way of telling two distinct stories in one film and have it interwined so well that the audience do not get messed up. Here's how I make use of the quote: (1) I said it when I know I have a strong bargaining power, (2) That I know I am going to get what I want and (3) Just to make fun out of it and feel like you're The Godfather.
"May the Force be with you." from Star Wars [1977]. What can I say about this apart to let those who do not know that Star Wars saga is one of the world's most successful movie franchise of all time. I am a Star Wars fan. I quote the quote when someone is going to undertake some great ordeal which I usually feel like a lot of effort is required. Sometimes it is a phony way to say 'good bye and good luck'.
"You can't handle the truth!" from A Few Good Men [1992]. Starring Tom Cruise, Demi Moore Kevin Bacon, Jack Nicholson and Kiefer Sutherland. This military court drama is one of my personal favorite film in the 'court drama' category. I don't quite use this quote much but somehow I just love it. Jack Nicholson said it well...with all the emotional expression and all.
"How can the same sh** happen to the same guy twice?" Die Hard 2 [1990]. Believe me, it happens!
"This, gentlemen, as they say, is where the plot thickens." Die Hard with A Vengence [1995]. Sometimes someone you don't like pops up in your life and complicate stuff. This is the perfect quote for it. Interchange gentlemen with lady/maiden or whatever for effect.
"...And, I show you how deep the rabbit hole goes." The Matrix [1999]. There's no better way to speak in riddles and philosophize it so beautifully than this quote from one of the most philosophical movies of all time.
etc.

Ok I know I have a lot more but I just ain't got the time to spare to list out every single one of them. Certain movies has a whole chunk of it. Movies like Die Hard Trilogy, and Pulp Fiction are packed with great quotes. Just visit the few websites below and check it out:

P/S: I took me a good hour to get this blog listed. Geeez...

I am an Idealist!

2005-08-03T11:06:00.000+08:00

Recently I have been doing a little self discovery. My colleague shared with me about this page called The Personality Page. It is a rather wordy website but it is very informational. You can either:

read through all of them to find out who you are
take a questionnaire test
read this summary and decide tentatively which type you are (my personal choice)

I did some reading on it and I discovered myself to be an Introverted person with a strong spot for iNtuition and Feeling as well as pretty good in Perceiving things. In short, I am an INFP or commonly known as The Idealist. Astonishingly, what is said about me is rather true.

The thing I like about this personality classification is that it is based on some psychological study by Carl G. Jung and Isabel Briggs Myers whom the later becomes the creator of Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), the exact stuff which this website is about.

Here's some brief account of me and my personal comments are in blue:

primary mode of living is focused internally, where I deal with things according to how I feel about them, or how they fit into my personal value system.
My secondary mode is external, where I take things in primarily via my intuition.
focused on making the world a better place for people and as well as seeking out the meaning of my very on existence. (Geez...sounds like a reluctant hero to me)
highly intuitive about people.
heavily on their intuitions to guide them.
on a continuous mission to find the truth and meaning underlying things. (Yup that's me! Been wondering a lot about which comes first, the chicken...or the egg!)
Generally thoughtful and considerate. (Sometimes I overdo it I suppose.)
Makes good listener.
Do not like conflict, and go to great lengths to avoid it. If it really happens, I will always approach it from the perspective of my feelings.
Takes neutral stance while in conflicts UNLESS my internal core values are violated. (Indeed that's what I will do!)
I am flexible and laid-back. (Ok, now that's why I like my vacation to be at a slow and lazy pace without much happenings around. I don't find much of this sort of vacation around these days.)
Typically completely unaware of such things. (Yup, I have problem remembering the people I meet and thier names!)
Do not like to deal with hard facts and logic. (Somehow I am less of this. I love facts but my decisions are make based on my intuitions and feelings :) )
Very high standards and are perfectionists. (Somewhat true and applies to certain cases only.)
usually talented writers. (Those who know me, comment on this please?!!)
INFPs who function in their well-developed sides can accomplish great and wonderful things, which they will rarely give themselves credit for. (I call it 'practice makes perfect')

Going any further might bore people so I will stop just right here...right after I self-promote how I will behave when in relationships (focus on my strength only)!

Warmly concerned and caring towards others
Sensitive and perceptive about what others are feeling
Loyal and committed - they want lifelong relationships
Deep capacity for love and caring
Driven to meet other's needs
Strive for "win-win" situations (Oh yeah!)
Nurturing, supportive and encouraging
Likely to recognize and appreciate other's need for space
Able to express themselves well
Flexible and diverse
As a LOVER please refer here!

His First [Actual] Blog!

2005-08-02T17:39:00.000+08:00

Blogging has been in my 'to-do' list long enough and finally it gets done! I did started one sometime ago...say about two years ago but it did not take off well. It ain't about having nothing to blog about. Rather I am just not into it. Hopefully this one goes about better than the 'trial run' which I had two years back.

View on Blogging
It means a lot of things to a lot of people. To me, blogging is about imprinting a thought or a stream of thoughts at any one point in time that get 'materialized' onto a [digital] form for others to contemplate, reflect and/or just for the sheer intention of the blogger to get stuff of his mind.

If you run a search on 'blog' through Dictionary.com (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=blog) it defines it as "an online diary; a personal chronological log of thoughts published on a Web page".

Alternatively, read up on a light-hearted article on 'How Blogs Work'.

I will try...if not refrain myself from doing posting of forwards of good stuff, speeches, pictures and etc for the mere reason of sharing it to people. Such blogs like these lack the essence of the real definition of a blog...at least to me.

With my term of blogging defined, now I blog!