My Daily Nuggets

Kiyosaki

2008-05-21T23:06:00.002+08:00

The Awakening

2007-12-14T00:32:00.000+08:00

Folks, let’s have some fun under the sun and forget about the nuggets cos this tukang masak ain’t cooking no more. A year’s slumber is long enough.

I have awakened!

Visit my new blog site here.

Up, up, up & up

2006-12-23T23:40:00.000+08:00

Announced last month that Toll rates for five highways to go up on Jan 1.

In today's papers, expect three more ups.

Cement prices go up
Price of ice to head 'north' from Jan 1
Parking charges likely to go up

What else is going up?

60 Minutes Per Hour

2006-12-21T11:21:00.000+08:00

As we come to the close of 2006 and enter the New Year, let'e ponder over this very profound quotation from C.S. Lewis;

"The future is something which everyone reaches at the rate of sixty minutes an hour, whatever he does, whoever he is."

Goal! The Dream Begins ...

2006-12-16T20:27:00.000+08:00

When you are ready, just click start ...

The World is Flat

2006-12-11T20:08:00.000+08:00

I am now into my second month reading "The World is Flat" by Thomas L. Friedman. This is a record for me as I normally finishes a new book within a week or two. I had initially thought of finishing it before I blog about it but Chapter Ten hits too close to home to hold back for long ... I might forget.

Extracted ...

"Some countries (such as South Korea and Taiwan) seem to be able to focus their energies on the priority of economic development and others (such as Egypt and Syria) get distracted by ideology and local feuds. Some countries have leaders who use their time in office to try to drive modernisation rather than personally enrich themselves. And some countries simply have venal elites, who use their time in office to line their pockets and then invest those riches in Swiss real estate."

Doesn't the above para describe our beloved country so aptly?

The Vagina Monologues

2006-12-07T21:17:00.000+08:00

Do you remember The Vagina Monologues? It was banned in Malaysia sometime in 2002 if I remember correctly. Why? Only our moral guardians knows. A friend of mine suggested that they probably were drooling at the Vagina which they wanted to keep for themselves ... leaving us with only the Monologues!

OK, for the uninitiated, this episodic play was written by Eve Ensler and premiered Off-Broadway in 1996.

TED2004 brings us a recorded presentation in which she performs an excerpt from "The Vagina Monologues" and explains how the show took on a life of its own.

Folks, have fun with The Vagina. You may do it online or download the mp3 audio or the video.

Future

2006-11-18T08:53:00.000+08:00

"My interest is in the future because I am going to spend the rest of my life there."

Charles F. Kettering

THE SECRET transcript

2006-11-16T21:41:00.000+08:00

OK, if you missed Larry King's interview with THE SECRET team, the transcript is available here.

12th Anniversary

2006-11-15T17:18:00.000+08:00

Kah Ming's favourite cartoon series is W.I.T.C.H.

For our 12th Anniversay on 12 November, he remembered and witched us a Happy Anniversay! :)

My sweet Whan and only Whan, thank you for twelve beautiful and fulfilling years.

The extra degree

2006-11-14T23:09:00.000+08:00

Water is hot at 211 degree. At 212 degree, it boils and generates the steam that powers our world. Just one extra degree and the results is so exponentially different!

Isn't this amazing?

Isn't this a beautiful but yet uncomplicated metaphor that ideally should feed our every endeavour, to consistently stretch to make the extra effort in every task, action, and effort we undertake?

That small things can make tremendous differences as the Malay proverb says, "Sedikit-sedikit, lama-lama jadi bukit."

Watch the 212 Movie.

If you think you cannot ...

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

"Kah Ming ha ... if you think you cannot finish, you cannot finish. If you think you can finish, you can finish. You better eat up."

Kah Chern tried to play taikoh over dinner this evening when his little brother complained that he had too much food on his plate.

I looked at him and asked, "Where did you learn that?"

A big grin across his face. "You told me one mah."

"Yes meh? When?"

"During my exams mah."

Of course, I remembered. We had set a goal for him to be among the top 5 in his class but he thought it was too difficult because his classmates are all "smarter than him." So I sat down and explained to him why he should go for that goal. To cut a long story short, I told him it's all in his mind, "If you think you can, you can. If you think you cannot, you cannot."

He made it and earned himself the beyblade he has been wanting for so long.

Nobody is above the law

2006-11-10T23:23:00.000+08:00

NOBODY is above the law but SOMEBODY is.

And EVERYBODY believes so.

One head at a time

2006-11-09T10:03:00.000+08:00

For some incomprehensible reason, GOD gives us men just enough blood to work one head at a time. No more and no less.

So don't even try to have the cake and eat it.

The Secret (Extended Edition)

2006-11-06T17:11:00.000+08:00

Thanks to Anonymous for providing the link, you can now watch THE SECRET online. Not just the trailer but the whole movie (Extended Edition). All 1hr and 31 minutes of it!

Please watch it before the link is taken away.

13 Secrets

2006-11-05T00:02:00.000+08:00

The Champions Club releases a brand new report which covers the 13 secrets used by World-Class Goal Achievers everywhere.

More than 16,000 copies were downloaded in the first two days.

Interested to know what the secrets are?

Download 13 Secrets of World-Class Goal Achievers

Good leader

2006-11-04T00:48:00.000+08:00

In Bolehland, you can build a four-storey palace without submitting the building plan to the council. You can fail to pay your assessment for 12 years for the house you are staying in. You can also illegally build a restaurant on state reserve land and still earn praise as a good leader.

Ptuuui!

What a letdown statement from the PM himself who unfortunately doesn't appear to be leading! But how to lead when he doesn't even seem to understand what leadership is about?

Relation-kids

2006-11-03T01:12:00.000+08:00

Parenting is a full time relationship job, no?

This flash movie look into a relationship between a parent and a child.

Enjoy.

Big Gate

2006-11-02T22:58:00.000+08:00

RPK writes about a big big gate in MalaysiaToday.

Akeelah and the Bee

2006-11-02T10:58:00.000+08:00

A story about a young girl from South Los Angeles who tries to make it to the National Spelling Bee.

Eleven year-old Akeelah Anderson's life is not easy: her father is dead, her mom ignores her, her brother runs with the local gangbangers. She's smart, but her environment threatens to strangle her aspirations. Responding to a threat by her school's principal, Akeelah participates in a spelling bee to avoid detention for her many absences. Much to her surprise and embarrassment, she wins. Her principal asks her to seek coaching from an English professor named Dr. Larabee for the more prestigious regional bee. As the possibility of making it all the way to the Scripps National Spelling Bee looms, Akeelah could provide her community with someone to rally around and be proud of -- but only if she can overcome her insecurities and her distracting home life. She also must get past Dr. Larabee's demons, and a field of more experienced and privileged fellow spellers.

Does your dream or goal seems too far away? Watch Akeelah and the Bee and be inspired.

Change

2006-11-02T01:00:00.000+08:00

"We change the world not by what we say or do, but as a consequence of what we have become."

- Dr. David Hawkins

Larry King and The Secret

2006-10-31T08:02:00.000+08:00

Thanks to "Money and You", I am able to share and disseminate the dates of "Larry King Live", in which he interviews the teachers of "The Secret". This will be done over a two-part series called "Beyond Positive Thinking".

Part 1 airs on Thursday 2nd Nov 2006 with Bob Proctor, John Assaraf, JZ Knight, Rev Michael Beckwith and Dr. John DeMartini.

Part 2 airs on Thursday 16th Nov 2006 with James Ray, Jack Canfield, Joe Vitale, George Pratt and Jayne Payne.

Note that "Larry King Live" airs on CNN at 6 p.m. Pacific Time Zone (U.S.) and re-airs at 9 p.m. Pacific Time Zone (U.S.) and 12-midnight. As the above are USA dates and times, it would be a day before in Malaysia so please make sure you get your times correct.

I strongly suggest you watch and record both shows, as every guest will be worth listening to.

I am made to understand that this exciting opportunity is a result of Larry King and his producers watching "The Secret". It also does appear that as a result of this show, Larry and his producers have made a commitment to host a positive show, like this one, every month! Keep your fingers crossed.

Please share this information with everyone you know who needs to hear it! We have the opportunity to reach millions with this message, and when it succeeds, it will literally open the floodgates for us to change the lives of even more people! The planet is transforming, and we can all be part of it!

Nine Emperor Gods

2006-10-30T14:04:00.000+08:00

Today is the last day of the Nine Emperor Gods' Festival.

Dropped by the temple at Macallum Street a while ago during lunch time to offer some prayers.

ASKED for the Gods to bless my family and friends. Especially Andy and Susan and their four children who are all facing challenging times. Bless my country and bless the world. And bless me too.

The Secret Revealed

2006-10-30T08:25:00.000+08:00

I first heard about "The Secret" in 2005, some months before this movie was revealed to a worldwide audience in March 2006.

Thanks to Simon Chan, I got my own DVD copy last month.

I have watched it thrice since I received it. One of the best investments I have made, I must add.

If you are wondering what in the heavens is "The Secret" about, let me tell you what I have learned. It is about one power. One law. A law that you probably already know about but strangely, do not know you know. It is the Law of Attraction!

Truly, this 90 minutes movie makes fascinating viewing if you are looking for that edge or distinction. It is just awesome. It blew my mind away.

I can only say that you have got to watch "The Secret" to understand and share my excitement. You can do it online if you have broadband and if budget isn't a constraint, I strongly suggest you go get your own copy. It is a must-have for any personal library. The trailer is available here, by the way.

Now that "The Secret" has been revealed and introduced to you, I urge you to make the best decision for yourself. "The Secret" could change your life forever.

The next step now is for you to ASK and the universe will ANSWER. And when it does, be ready to RECEIVE!!

Just so that you know, many of the teachers from this phenomenally successful movie will appear in Larry King Live next week. I will post the details of this two-part series called "Beyond Positive Thinking" in my next entry.

Meanwhile, I leave you with this gem from Earl Nightingale, "You become what you think about all day long and if you do not think, you become nothing."

The Only Failure

2006-10-29T23:50:00.000+08:00

Chia Ka Liao

2006-10-28T22:35:00.003+08:00

The warlord from Port Klang, commonly known as Chia Ka Liao to the Hokkiens, will very soon Si Liao.

Following a one-hour audience with the Sultan of Selangor at Istana Kayangan in Shah Alam this morning, he was advised to relinquish his post as Klang municipal councillor or risks being stripped of his Datukship. Wouldn't that be too lenient a punishment, Tuanku?

Then in comes the burung kakak Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Dr Mohamad Khir Toyo - Chia Ka Liao must voluntarily resign before Nov 8, failing which, the state government will invoke the provision in the Local Authority Act to remove him.

Hello, how is he to resign the post which he has not been sworn in yet?

Nevertheless, Daulat Tuanku.

A mockery of sorts

2006-10-28T13:01:00.000+08:00

A mockery of sorts. A security company that doesn't have an alarm system, closed-circuit television camera system or guards at its own premise lost two guns and ammunition in a break-in during the festive holidays.

Would you trust this insecured company to take care of your security?

And more mockeries. The homes of a former deputy Inspector-General of Police, a prosecutor and a senator were burgled during the same period.

Me shaking my head!!??!

May This Encourage You, Always

2006-10-28T09:16:00.000+08:00

May this lovely piece encourage you, always.

Don't spend major time with minor people.
If there are people in your life who continually
disappoint you, break promises, stomp on your dreams,
are too judgmental, have different values
and don't have your back during difficult times ...
that is not friendship.

To have a friend, be a friend.
Sometimes in life as you grow,
your friends will either grow or go.
Surround yourself with people who
reflect values, goals interests and lifestyles.

When I think of any of my successes,
I am thankful to God from whom all blessings flow,
and to my family and friends who enrich my life.

Over the years my phone book has changed
because I changed, for the better.
At first, you think you're going to be alone, but after awhile,
new people show up in your life
that make it so much sweeter and easier to endure.

Remember what your elders used to say,
"Birds of a feather flock together.
If you're an eagle, don't hang around chickens:
Chickens can't fly!"

Author Unknown but greatly appreciated.

Monkey see, monkey do

2006-10-27T09:35:00.000+08:00

Parenting 101, courtesy of PETRONAS.

Naah ....H!

2006-10-27T08:29:00.000+08:00

The Port Klang warlord says Naah ...H to Tuanku? What are they going to do to him over his open defiance?

Chop off his middle finger, tear down his palace, strip him of his Datukship, or none of the above?

The Dash

2006-10-26T15:15:00.000+08:00

When your eulogy is being read, would you be proud of the things they say about how you spend your dash? Or will your life be just two numbers and a dash?

A poem that goes straight to the heart, Linda Ellis' The Dash has touched millions of lives. This world-famous poem is only 3 minutes long. Please read it because those 3 minutes can truly change the way you think about life.

I hope it will touch you as much as it touched me.

Turn up the volume on your PC and watch The Dash Movie too.

Conversations with God

2006-10-25T22:47:00.000+08:00

Good news for fans of Neale Walsh. His spiritual classic premiers on the silver screen in the U.S. this coming Friday, October 27, 2006.

Conversations with God tells the true story of Neale Walsch (played by Henry Czerny) who asked God some very hard questions at the lowest point in his life. The answers he got from God/within became the foundation of an internationally acclaimed book series, that has sold over 7 million copies and been translated into 34 languages.

Watch the trailer here.

For those who haven't read any of his books, Neale's underlying message is to Forget Religion and Embrace Spirituality.

I will not be giving this movie a miss when it comes to us and I hope you won't too because we need more films of love and compassion in our cinemas. Not the Hollywood formula of fear and violence.

What's your excuse?

2006-10-23T23:39:00.000+08:00

Ben Underwood plays killer foosball and is an absolute master of video games. But so are a lot of 14-year-olds.

Except Ben is blind.

Watch this video and maybe you'll see that the limitations you think you have, really aren't limitations after all.

Wheels for Cops

2006-10-11T15:34:00.000+08:00

The "Wheels for Cops" campaign concludes 7 October 2006 with the handing over of 1 Kembara and 2 motorbikes each to the police stations of USJ and Subang Jaya.

The ceremony was witnessed by the two Timbalan Menteri Keselamatan Dalam Negeri, Datuk Mohd Johari bin Baharum and Datuk Fu Ah Kiow. Also present were Kelana Jaya MP Loh Seng Kok, Subang Jaya ADUN Datuk Lee Hwa Beng, OCPD Subang Jaya DSP Tuan Fuad, USJ Chief Inspector ASP Shanmugam and Subang Jaya Chief Inspector ASP Yussof.

Following that the YBs engaged in a dialogue with the residents. Read details here.

A big thank you and syabas to all those who contributed to the campaign's success.

Mission accomplished.

Orifice

2006-10-08T01:16:00.000+08:00

This is insane.

Consumers are using haemorrhoid cream on their faces to get rid of puffy eyes, according to Reuters. The manufacturer warns that this pharmaceutical is not a cosmetic. Just keep it away from that orifice, will you?

On the matter of orifice, what do over one million drivers mostly think about behind the wheels?

It's SEX, what else?

Orifice again ha?

A Mousy Story

2006-10-07T17:23:00.000+08:00

A mouse looked through the crack in the wall to see the farmer and his wife open a package. What food might this contain?" The mouse wondered - he was devastated to discover it was a mousetrap.

Retreating to the farmyard, the mouse proclaimed the warning to the animals, "There is a mousetrap in the house! There is a mousetrap in the house!" The chicken clucked and scratched, raised her head and said, "Mr. Mouse, I can tell this is a grave concern to you, but it is of no consequence to me. I cannot be bothered by it."

The mouse turned to the pig and the pig sympathized, but said, "I am so very sorry, Mr. Mouse, but there is nothing I can do about it but pray. Be assured you are in my prayers."

The mouse next turned to the cow and the cow said, "Wow, Mr. Mouse. I'm sorry for you, but it's no skin off my nose." So, the mouse returned to the house, head down and dejected, to face the farmer's mousetrap alone.

That very night a sound was heard throughout the house -- like the sound of a mousetrap catching its prey. The farmer's wife rushed to see what was caught.

In the darkness, she did not see it was a venomous snake whose tail the trap had caught. The snake bit the farmer's wife. The farmer rushed her to the hospital, and she returned home with a fever.

Everyone knows you treat a fever with fresh chicken soup, so the farmer took his hatchet to the farmyard for the soup's main ingredient.

But his wife's sickness continued, so friends and neighbors came to sit with her around the clock. To feed them, the farmer butchered the pig. The farmer's wife did not get well, she died.
So many people came for her funeral; the farmer had the cow slaughtered to provide enough meat for all of them.

The mouse looked upon it all from his crack in the wall with great sadness.

So, the next time you hear someone is facing a problem and think it doesn't concern you, remember -- when one of us is threatened, we are all at risk.

We are all involved in this journey called life. We must keep an eye out for one another and make an extra effort to encourage one another.

When in Penang ...

2006-10-03T11:47:00.000+08:00

When in Penang, do as the Penangites do.

Which is to make sure you send your new car to the Waterfall Shree Muniswarar Temple to receive some blessings. Your numbers might just strike 1st prize in the next draw!

No car? Don't worry about that because the priest also works on motorbikes.

Good luck.

SJAlert launched

2006-10-01T21:19:00.000+08:00

Crime prevention now takes a new dimension in the form of sms alerts with the official launch of SJAlert by the Inspector-General of Police, Tan Sri Musa Hassan in Subang Parade today.

Syabas and congratulations to all my fellow committee members.

If you are a resident of USJ or Subang Jaya, please go to www.sjalert.com.my to register yourself.

More at Jeff Ooi's Screenshots.

Ibuprofen and Naproxen

2006-09-13T20:29:00.000+08:00

I don't know whether they are available locally but if you take pain relievers like ibuprofen (Advil) or naproxen (Aleve), you may want to consider the findings of two new studies. They have been found to be linked to increased risks to hearts and kidneys.

Please read.

The Winning Movie

2006-09-09T15:47:00.000+08:00

The Winning Movie is created by Bill Losey who, like many of us, is not satisfied with allowing life to just happen.

This movie is for those that want to get more out of life than just the status quo.

For those ... what would you attempt to do if you knew you couldn't lose?

Authentic Happiness

2006-09-08T21:03:00.000+08:00

You can develop insights into yourself and the world around you through scientifically tested questionnaires, surveys, and scales at Authentic Happiness.

To find out what your strengths are, take the featured "VIA Signature Strengths Questionnaire."

Enjoy.

Megamal Pinang is a hazard

2006-09-08T13:07:00.001+08:00

Try accidents, YBs

2006-09-08T09:53:00.000+08:00

At the Parliament, yesterday.

Datuk Mohamed Aziz (BN – Sri Gading) who disagreed with the decision not to slash traffic fines said, “Traffic fines are compound fines. The police can give a reduction at their discretion. It’s not wrong.”

Datuk Mohd Said Yusoff (BN – Jasin) agreed with the reduction in fines, saying it would help poor motorists.

One-eye Jasin and Sri Gading obviously suffer from poor eyesight for failing to see the forest from the trees. They should instead tell the "poor motorists" this;

If you think the fines are expensive, try having accidents!

Rising rates of obesity and diabetes a 'disaster' for Asian countries

2006-09-07T20:31:00.000+08:00

SYDNEY, Australia - Skyrocketing rates of childhood obesity and type 2 diabetes in Asian countries are an economic and social disaster that could effect regional stability, leading health experts warned Wednesday.

Asia currently has around two-thirds of the world's type 2 diabetics or around 90 million people, according to Paul Zimmet, the chairman of the International Obesity Task Force.

Four out of five of the world's most diabetic populations are also in Asia, including India, China, Pakistan and Japan - and the number of diabetics in Asia is set to increase to 120 million by 2010, said Zimmet, citing recent data from the World Heath Organization.

By 2025, the number of Asians with the disease could increase to 198 million, he said.

The rate of childhood obesity among Asian children is increasing by about 1 percent each year, roughly the same rate as seen in Australia, the United States and Britain, according to the task force's regional director, Tim Gill.

"It's a social and economic disaster," said Zimmet.

While many Asian countries are busy gearing up to deal with the possible threat of bird flu, Zimmet said, they are ignoring a looming health crisis caused by diabetes.

Most Asian countries "don't have the health care systems" to meet the cost of treating diabetes and its related illnesses, such as strokes, kidney failure, heart disease and blindness, he said.

And beyond the rise of health care, Zimmet warned, the diabetes epidemic could have dire consequences for the social and economic stability of many Asian countries.

"We're seeing type 2 diabetes in children and they're being inadequately treated," he said. "So they're going to have heart troubles, kidney failure in the early 20s and 30s, and that will affect work force productivity."

Diabetes can also affect fertility rates, Zimmet said, possibly leading to changes in birth patterns and population levels.

"The actual productivity of countries will fall," he said.

Source: Yahoo News

Pests controlled?

2006-09-07T10:05:00.000+08:00

It has to take a public outcry for the Selangor government to overrule the decision by two local authorities to award a multi-million ringgit pest control concession to a consortium of companies and to force businesses to use their services.

Sheesh ... there goes someone's retirement plan!

There is no doubt that pests that threaten "public health and safety" need to be controlled and exterminated. This, I am in concurrence with the local councils. One hundred and ten percent.

In this instance, however, it isn't just the rats. Nor is it just the cockcroaches. But the twolegged rodents, commonly known as parasitic politikus that we should start with. Shoot them on sight!

I look at the 33,000 business premises in Subang Jaya and did a quick translation into my my network marketing business. Makes me drool and drool only. You see, with 33,000 customers in my organisation and if each spends just RM80 per month on my products for 20 years, my turnover would be RM633.6M!

If my commission is 10%, my earnings over 20 years would be in excess of RM63M. Or RM3M per year. Or RM264K per month.

Chia beh liao loh!

Perhaps I should invite the person(s) who just lost their retirement plans to sign up with me.

Reduction of traffic fines postponed

2006-09-06T16:37:00.003+08:00

The Cabinet has decided to postpone the reduction of traffic fines by the police.

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy said that the Cabinet agreed that compounds imposed on traffic offenders, especially for serious faults, should be a deterrent.

If it is only postponed, are we to expect some face saving discounts?

Read The Star for the news.

Power and responsibilty

2006-09-06T12:47:00.000+08:00

Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy, who expressed surprise over the move by the police, said the reduction of fines could send a wrong message to road users, especially habitual offenders.

“It came as a surprise to me. I was never consulted by the police on the matter. I only knew about it through the media,” he told reporters at the Parliament lobby here yesterday.
Chan said he would ask for an explanation and a briefing from the police to find out more about the matter.

In response, Internal Security and Public Order Director Commissioner Datuk Mustafa Abdullah said,

"We can reduce them when or how we want to. We do not have to consult the Transport Ministry. We have the power to do so."

Sure, you do have the power, Tuan. In my favourite superhero's famous words,

"With great power comes great responsibility."

I wonder whether you understand what that means to you?

Teh Tarik Space-ial

2006-09-06T10:54:00.000+08:00

If in the United States they are called astronauts, in Russia they are cosmonauts, and in China, taikonauts, what do you call a Malaysian in space?

The answer which is CanOrNot is also the question. CanOrNot?

At zero gravity, how the heck is our Mr. CanOrNot going to tarik his tea or flip his roti canai in space?

Malaysia Boleh?

Coming up next Merdeka - No need to pay traffic fines!

2006-09-05T23:41:00.000+08:00

Last Merdeka, they offered a 50% discount on all traffic fines. This Merdeka, they slashed traffic fines by as much as RM200 or 70%. The justification? This will encourage offenders to pay their summonses.

On the contrary, won't this be sending the wrong signals and encourage more offences?

I have only this to say, ini kerja orang gila! OTC - otak tak center!

So what can we expect come the next Merdeka? Another offer? Maybe no need to pay traffic fines at all. Semua bantai and get away free!

Lest it be forgotten, Malaysia has the dubious distinction of having one of the worst per capita road accident death rates in the world at almost 27 per 100,000 population. This is according to latest figures from New York-based Drive and Stay Alive, Inc.

In 2004 alone, the Government lost about RM9.3 billion in terms of damage to property, manhours lost, manpower, medical bills and insurance claims due to road accidents, according to Transport Ministry figures.

There were 326,817 road accidents, with 6,623 fatalities. That means 17 lives were lost on the average every day.

Tell us, whose stupid idea was this?

Who keeps the law ... (4)

2006-09-05T23:24:00.000+08:00

Who keeps the law when the breakers are the enforcers themselves?

Somewhere in PJ near Lorong 8/1E this morning, this Pajero which belongs to the police was parked on the road, reducing the two lanes to one.

I have no issue with the policeman having their tea break across the road but this blatant disregard for other road users ... tak boleh lah.

SoaP nets RM66K

2006-09-01T14:08:00.000+08:00

The Charity Screening of "Snakes on a Plane (SoaP)" can only be described as a runaway success. Residents of both Subang Jaya and USJ checked in and boarded in full force.

On the night when two couples battled it out over the local networks for TV viewership, Flight 121 took off successfully from the Summit GSC with a cinema load of passengers for the “Wheels for Cops” campaign. The passengers included Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah KIow, ADUN Subang Jaya and campaign patron Datuk Lee Hwa Beng and representatives from the police.

“Wheels for Cops” is a community campaign to raise funds to procure 2 Kembaras and 4 motorbikes for the police stations of SS17 and USJ8 via a charity screening of Samuel Jackson’s "Snakes on a Plane."

Sponsored by Golden Screen Cinemas and supported by the Summit Group, all the 263 tickets which were available for sales to the public were snapped up, with the remaining 59 allocated to corporate sponsors and guests.

More than RM66,000 were raised from this campaign:

Community of SJ/USJ – RM26,700.00
INTI College (Dr. Lee Fah Oon) – RM20,000.00
Million Horizon Development Sdn. Bhd. – RM10,000.00
S. Kian Seng Sdn. Bhd. – RM10,000.00
Hiap Teik Hardware Sdn. Bhd. – 4 motorbikes

The “Wheels for Cops” Organising Committee records our thanks and appreciation to all sponsors and donors for their generous support.

Read also Wheel boost for cops and Wheels for Cops.

Happy 49th Birthday

2006-08-31T00:01:00.000+08:00

Happy 49th Birthday, Malaysia!

This beloved country is almost half a century old, already as old as a grandma. My wish this year is for her to grow up and start acting her age!

SELAMAT HARI MERDEKA!

Fresh Fish Tale

2006-08-28T14:05:00.000+08:00

A fresh fish lesson which we can all relate to. I received this story in my inbox this morning.

The Japanese have always loved fresh fish. But the waters close to Japan have not held many fish for decades. So to feed the Japanese population, fishing boats got bigger and went farther than ever. The farther the fishermen went, the longer it took to bring in the fish. If the return trip took more than a few days, the fish were not fresh. The Japanese did not like the taste.

To solve this problem, fishing companies installed freezers on their boats. They would catch the fish and freeze them at sea. Freezers allowed the boats to go farther and stay longer. However, the Japanese could taste the difference between fresh and frozen and they did not like frozen fish. The frozen fish brought a lower price.

So fishing companies installed fish tanks. They would catch the fish and stuff them in the tanks, fin to fin. After a little thrashing around, the fish stopped moving. They were tired and dull, but alive. Unfortunately, the Japanese could still taste the difference. Because the fish did not move for days, they lost their fresh-fish taste. The Japanese preferred the lively taste of fresh fish, not sluggish fish.

So how did Japanese fishing companies solve this problem? How do they get fresh-tasting fish to Japan? If you were consulting the fish industry, what would you recommend?

How Japanese Fish Stay Fresh: To keep the fish tasting fresh, the Japanese fishing companies still put the fish in the tanks. But now they add a small shark to each tank. The shark eats a few fish, but most of the fish arrive in a very lively state. The fish are challenged.

IMPORTANT LESSON:

Have you realized that some of us are also living in a pond but most of the time tired & dull, so we need a Shark in our life to keep us awake and moving? Basically in our lives Sharks are new challenges to keep us active and taste better.....

The more intelligent, persistent and competent you are, the more you enjoy a challenge. If your challenges are the correct size, and if you are steadily conquering those challenges, you are Conqueror. You think of your challenges and get energized. You are excited to try new solutions.

You have fun.

You are alive!

Joe "Lone Ranger" Singh

2006-08-27T00:47:00.000+08:00

Meet Joe "Lone Ranger" Singh, controversial hero and resident of SS14 in Subang Jaya. Excerpted from The Star, 26 August 2006 ...

"It’s all in a day’s work for businessman Joe Mahinder Singh, 49, who claims he has conducted 19 citizen’s arrests on would-be snatch thieves and house burglars and recovered seven stolen motorbikes and one car.

For me, the tagline “Crime is a disease. Meet the cure” from that Sylvester Stallone movie, Cobra, comes to mind. Some residents of Subang Jaya have called him a hero. Others think he is a Rambo vigilante."

Meet also another hero, an unsung one, from USJ, known by his moniker of Orchipalar aka OrChiPD, in usjdotcomdotmy. Orchipalar, a prime-mover of SJ Alert, goes around with his 4-wheel drive and has contributed his fair share in assisting the police in preventing crime. Read about his initiatives here, here and here.

While Joe has so far received two letters of commendation from the police and is expecting a national award or a datukship, I hope my good friend will get his recognition without having to ask or arm twist for it.

Motivational Thought

2006-08-25T17:18:00.000+08:00

It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream. It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is the sin.

Benjamin Elijah Mays

May we all continue to reach for our stars, whomever you be - star man or star woman.

Firms to sell deep-sea water as drinking water

2006-08-17T21:04:00.000+08:00

From Bangkok Post, 16 August 2006
Firms to sell deep-sea water as drinking water

(dpa) Several Taiwan companies, eyeing the health benefits of deep-ocean water, plan to sell deep-sea water as drinking water, the Water Resources Agency (WRA) said on Wednesday.

"Several companies plan to sell the deep-sea water retrieved from Pacific Ocean as drinking water, and use it for aquaculture, the pharmaceutical industry and spas,'' Chen Shen-hsien said.

"Bottled deep-sea water will appear on the market in November. It will become a popular drink because deep-sea water is bacteria-free and is rich in minerals and nutrition,'' he said.

Deep-sea water refers to water 200 metres under the sea surface. Taiwan commands a unique geographical location for utilizing deep-sea water because just 50 kilometres off Taiwan's east coast the seabed drops to a depth of 4 kilometres.

At least three companies have laid pipes to retrieve deep-sea water to sell it as bottled water after desalination.

One firm, the Pacific Marine Biotech Corp, has laid two pipe which can retrieve 2,000 tons and 13,00 tons of water from a depth of 710 metres off Taiwan's east coast.

"We plan to start selling deep-sea water in 20-litre and 500-cc bottles in November. The price will be higher than bottled water or mineral water because deep-sea water has more health benefits,'' the company's marketing manager Hung Yin-yin told the Deutsche
Presse-Agentur dpa.

Hung said deep-sea water can help boost the immune system, relieve stress and prevent cardio-vascular diseases.

"Those who have tasted deep-sea water said that there is a sweet taste in their throat after having drunk the water. You don't get that from drinking mineral water,'' she said.

The Taiwan Fertilizer Co plans to sell deep-sea water as bottled water and also to make cosmetics.

"Several foreign cosmetic companies, including Japan's Shu Uimura which has been purchased by L'Oreal of France, have asked to buy deep-sea water from us,'' Chung Chi-tung from the Taiwan Fertilizer Co told dpa.

A short break

2006-08-16T22:11:00.000+08:00

Cari makan calls so have to be away to Penang for a while. Until I can get to a better connection - I just cannot live on dial-ups anymore, there will only be occasional postings every now and then.

In the meantime, I will be enjoying my favourite ham-chim-peng and yam cakes by the roadsides of good ole Penang.

It's still cheapy, cheapy, cheap, cheap here.

Take Charge of Your Health

2006-08-13T00:26:00.000+08:00

The Star reports that in conjunction with International Youth Day today, R.AGE conducted a survey with young people aged 17 to 25 to find out the current state of Malaysian youths.

Among the questions asked, the top five responses to “What do you worry about?” were studies (26.27%), the future (21.96%), family (8.24%), myself (7.45%) and health (7.06%).

With only 7.06% concerning about their health, does it surprise you then that more young people as young as 15 are getting heart disease compared to 30 years ago?

According to Universiti Malaya Medical Centre's (UMMC) cardiology division head Prof Dr Wan Azman Wan Ahmad;

“Thirty years ago, heart patients were aged between 50 and 55 for males and 60 and 65 for females. But today, we get patients as young as 15. There are various factors that cause heart disease. One of them is eating unhealthy food, which young people are doing because they eat a lot of fast food and deep fried Western food.”

Heed the warnings that young Malaysians are very sick. The NST, 11 October 2005, projected that 5 million young Malaysian will have chronic diseases by this year. That's approximately 20% our population size. If nothing is done about it now, the number doubles to 10 million by 2020!

Take charge of your health now.

Crime prevention is a joint responsibility

2006-08-11T18:32:00.000+08:00

Crime prevention is a joint responsibility and no amount of patrolling by policemen or closed-circuit television cameras could reduce crime if the public did not play a role. Reported in the NST today, Rakan Cop tip-off led to arrests.

Selangor police chief Datuk Yahya Udin said: "The public is everywhere. People are the best source of information when something happens in their area. As for us, we are only a call away.

"Without the help of the public, many cases could end up unsolved," said Yahya.
He was happy that residents in some areas were playing an active role in curbing crime."In Subang Jaya, some of the residents’ associations have established their own mobile patrols and we are providing the guidance."

Sharing Yahya’s sentiment is city police deputy chief Datuk Ahmad Baharin Idrus who said CCTVs could help in areas such as the Golden Triangle but not in the suburbs.

"In places such as Wangsa Maju or Sentul, we need the public to inform us using Rakan Cop facilities for us to act. If not it would be useless."

Full report here.

Am I so suckerable?

2006-08-11T16:05:00.000+08:00

Please read the following email exchanges and tell me I have not been suckered by the banks!

After 3 visits to RHB Bank in Taipan USJ, I sent this email to Ibanksupport.

From: kappa@streamyx.com
Sent: Thursday, 03 August, 2006 11:23 AM
To: ibanksupport@rhbbank.com.my
Subject: Internet Banking Inquiries
Hi RHB,
My name is Mr Tan Teong Chee. My home phone number is 012-xxxxxxx. My office phone number is - 603 xxxxxxx. My email address is kappa@streamyx.com. I can be contacted by phone. I would like to make a complaint. I hold a saving accounts x-xxxxx-000xx0x-x with RHB USJ Taipan.
On 9/7/2006, I tried to withdraw RM300 from AmBank's ATM at IOI Mall, Puchong. The withdrawal was unsuccessful and my ATM card was retained. I immediately reported to RHB at IOI Mall and was advised to report to RHB Taipan USJ, which I did on 10/7/2006.
I find it most unacceptable that it is now taking almost 4 weeks for RHB to investigate this straight forward electronic transaction - this is according to your RHB Taipan USJ manager when I checked with her this morning.

A reply from Ibanksupport asking for my patience and understanding. Just wondering whether a similar letter if I default on my payment will be entertained by the bank?

From: "ibanksupport" <ibanksupport@rhbbank.com.my
To: <kappa@streamyx.com>
Sent: Friday, August 04, 2006 11:35 AM
Subject: RE: Internet Banking Inquiries
Thank you for your email and we sincerely apologize for the inconvenience caused. Kindly be informed that we have forwarded your concern to our relevant department for further action under reference number 1743035. Meanwhile, we appreciate your patience and understanding.
Should you require further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact ourCustomer Care Centre at 03-92068118 (Kuala Lumpur) or 082-276118 (Kuching) and our Customer Service Agents will be able to assist you accordingly.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Jxxx Cxxx (full name deleted)
Ibanksupport Customer Care Centre

I replied. My only interest is when they will return me my money! You guys should try calling the hotline - can vomit blood!

From: Kappa Streamyx [mailto:kappa@streamyx.com]
Sent: Friday, 04 August, 2006 12:57 PM
To: ibanksupport
Subject: Re: Internet Banking Inquiries
Dear Jxxx,
I am wondering whether you have tried calling your hotline number 03-92068118. For your information, it took me 4 calls yesterday to get through to a human voice who couldn't give me any answer. That call itself took me almost 20 minutes to get through. It took almost every call about 4 minutes of commercials before the automated voice informed me that the operators were busy. Your hotline just isn't user friendly!
What I want to know is when this issue can be resolved before I resort to my other course of action. Would it be reasonable to expect a resolution by Monday, 7 August 2005?
Regards,
Tan Teong Chee

Ha ... Customer Support has the audacity to make this insane suggestion to call long distance to Kuching! Meow .... no f#$*ing way that I am spending more money to get back what is rightfully mine!

From: ibanksupport
Sent: Friday, 04 August, 2006 8:11 PM
To: 'kappa@streamyx.com'
Subject: RE: Internet Banking Inquiries
Thank you for your email and we sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused with regards to our phonebanking service recently.
Kindly be informed that our Kuala Lumpur Customer Care Centre is handling high volume of calls daily. As a result, there will be instances whereby some of the calls made by our valued customers may not be able to get through. We would suggest that you may contact us during non-peak hours where the lines may be less busy or alternatively, you may contact our Kuching Customer Care Centre at 082-276118 which is operating from 7AM until 7PM daily. We appreciate your patience and understanding on this matter.
Further to your concern, we regret to advise that we are unable to confirm the outcome with your goodself at this juncture and we shall update you indue course. Kindly be informed that based on our records, the matter iscurrently under investigation and our relevant department have todayarranged to forward a notification to your goodself pertaining to thematter. Your patience and understanding on the matter is very much appreciated.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Jxxx Cxxx
Ibanksupport Customer Care Centre

The latest email from Ibanksupport with the insult of all insults. They take my money away electronically. Why can't they do it the same way it was taken away? Just unbelievable. Or are we just so suckerable?

From: ibanksupport
Sent: Wednesday, 09 August, 2006 9:59 AM
To: 'kappa@streamyx.com'
Subject: FW: Internet Banking Inquiries
Dear Mr Tan,
Further to our ealier email, kindly be informed that based on confirmation from our relevant department, the matter is currently pending cheque payment from AmBank Berhad ATM Centre. We appreciate your patience and understanding on the matter.
Meanwhile, should you require further assistance on other banking matters, please do not hesitate to contact our Customer Care Centre at 03-92068118(Kuala Lumpur) or 082-276118 (Kuching) and our Customer Service Agents will be able to assist you accordingly.
Thank you.
Yours sincerely,
Jxxx Cxxx
IbanksupportCustomer Care Centre

Wheels for Cops

2006-08-08T11:08:00.000+08:00

Representatives from the communities of Subang Jaya & USJ are coming together in a fund raising campaign to raise RM90,000 for the purchase of 2 Kembaras and 4 motorbikes to be donated to the police stations of SS17 and USJ8. This was announced in a press conference called by the Wheels for Cops organising committee today.

From left: Wivien San (Summit), Raymond Tan (Organising Chairman), Dato' Lee Hwa Beng (ADUN SJ), Yvonne Tan (GSC), Yap Yun Fatt (MPSJ Councillor)

Currently, Balai Polis Subang Jaya operates with one Kancil and one Pajero while Balai Polis USJ8 has one Kancil and one Land Rover. Both stations cover a population size of approximately 200,000 and 140,000 respectively.

Wheels for Cops campaign is supported by the office of ADUN Subang Jaya and sponsored by the Summit Group and Golden Screen Cinemas.

GSC is sponsoring one charity screening of "Snakes on a Plane" on 28 August 2006 at GSC Summit. All proceeds from the sale of the 322 tickets will go to the fund.

"Snakes on a Plane" stars Samuel L. Jackson as an FBI agent Neville Flynn who has to fight a time released crate load of lethal snakes unleashed by an ruthless assassin aboard Flight 121. The target is a boy who is to testify in a highly publicised murder case. Flynn must now band together with the rookie pilot and frightened passengers to survive. This movie has grown from something of a comedy into a phenomenon slithering untamed throughout the Internet. Don't miss it!

View the trailers here

The charity screening of "Snakes on a Plane" will be held on:

28 August 2006 (Monday)
Venue: GSC Summit, USJ
Cocktail at 8pm
Screening at 9pm sharp

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Fu Ah Kiow will grace this screening together with the top brasses from the police force.

Tickets are now available at RM100 each. We shall also be issuing receipts for all tickets sold.

Please contact the members of the organising committee below to get your tickets:

Raymond Tan raymond@nwatch.net.my 012-2997992
Teoh TH ss14nwatch@gmail.com 012-3288557
Allan Hubbert 1allan@my.ibm.com 019-2103623
Eileen Cheah thewriteexposure@gmail.com 013-3427808
Melvin Lee melvinlee29@yahoo.com 012-3303328
Robert Chan robertec@tm.net.my 012-2093093
Chris Ng orchipalar@gmail.com 012-2056885
Patrick Tan patan@usj.com.my 012-9132433
PC Yeoh pcyeoh@usj.com.my 012-2995330

We thank you for your support in contributing towards a safer Subang Jaya and USJ.

EPF Member's Investment Scheme - The Reactions

2006-08-08T10:29:00.000+08:00

Following Mingguan Malaysia's report that approximately 80% of EPF contributors who invest their EPF savings in unit trusts loses money ...

Via The Star, 8 August 2006; Tighten rules, Government tells EPF - The Government, alarmed over the more than half billion ringgit losses reported from investments in unit trusts involving Employees Provident Fund (EPF) contributors, has directed the EPF to impose stricter conditions on such investments.

Via TheSun, 8 August 2006; Govt wants EPF to tighten withdrawals for unit trust investments - Meanwhile, some EPF-appointed fund management institutions have sought clarification on a news report that 80% of EPF contributors who invested their savings in unit trusts posted losses totalling RM600 million. A few of the fund managers said they doubted the accuracy of the reported loss figure, which was attributed to their inability to invest in profitable ventures. A local fund manager said while investors had to understand the risks involved, a matter that could be an issue was the high cost of investing in unit trusts. "If you invest RM100, RM6.50 is deducted as upfront fees; that itself is expensive. It (the report) does provide a wake-up call to the whole architecture as all the while, the EPF uses agency and the agency tend to sell products with good upfront commissions," she said.

I hope the Government will see this tightening of rules through.

Poverty needs no plan

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

When riches take the place of poverty, the change is usually brought about through well conceived and carefully executed PLANS. Poverty needs no plan. It needs no one to aid it, because it is bold and ruthless. Riches are shy and timid. They have to be "attracted."

ANYBODY can WISH for riches, and most people do, but only a few know that a definite plan, plus a BURNING DESIRE for wealth, are the only dependable means of accumulating wealth.

The above is excerpted from Napoleon Hill's classic motivational book THINK & GROW RICH. It is said that this book is not to be read but to be studied.

EPF Member's Investment Scheme

2006-08-07T16:20:00.000+08:00

Mingguan Malaysia reports that approximately 80% of EPF contributors who invest their EPF savings in unit trusts loses money.

KUALA LUMPUR 5 Ogos – Kira-kira RM600 juta wang milik pencarum Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP) yang dilaburkan ke dalam unit amanah (unit trust) mengalami kerugian.
Mingguan Malaysia difahamkan menerusi satu sumber kesatuan sekerja, kerugian itu melibatkan kira-kira 80 peratus pencarum yang membuat pelaburan. Full report here.

Now, the unions and consumer associations want the government to intervene and abolish this EPF Member's Investment Scheme.

KUALA LUMPUR 6 Ogos – Kesatuan-kesatuan sekerja dan persatuan pengguna hari ini menggesa kerajaan dan Kumpulan Wang Simpanan Pekerja (KWSP)menghentikan segera skim pengeluaran caruman untuk dilaburkan ke dalam unit amanah bagi kerugian yang lebih besar kepada pencarum.

I am no expert in unit trust but I do know enough to know that I should stay away from this market. So to argue on whether or not the government should abolish it, I will leave it to the experts but yes, the government should relook the mechanism of this scheme. Because right now, the only sure group who benefits are the agencies.

A couple of years back, a similar headline also hit the Singapore press. I cannot seem to be able find the news in my archives but I do recall that a majprity of the pensioners ended up with less money than what they started off with in a similar scheme.

Hungry Ghost Festival

2006-08-07T09:54:00.000+08:00

In the Chinese tradition, the 7th month in the Chinese calendar is called the Ghost Month (鬼月), in which ghosts and spirits come out from the lower world to visit earth.

Activities at the festival include preparing ritualistic offering food, and burning hell money to please the visiting ghosts and spirits as well as deities and ancestors. Other activities include burying and releasing miniature paper boats and lanterns on water, which signifies "giving directions to the lost ghosts". The spirits are kept entertained with opera shows during this period.

I get to see alot of such activities during my younger days in Taiping, but not anymore in where I now stay. So when wifey wanted to go back to home town in Bukit Mertajam for the weekend, we made a visit to the Tua Pek Kong temple in Jalan Pasar to expose the children to this traditional festival. Lest they forget their roots.

The place was a hive of activities with devotees everywhere.

The paper effigy of Da Shi Ye, the God of Hades.

Offerings on the common altar. Notice the 'bun towers'.

Giant dragon joss sticks.

The Hungry Ghost Festival enters its last day tomorrow.

I pray that the God of Hades will also lock up those ghosts who have been terrorising our neighbourhoods. They are more scarier than the real ghosts. Lock them up for good, please.

The Camry Robbers

2006-08-04T10:43:00.000+08:00

I have learned long ago to accept all news report with a pinch of salt. And sometimes ~~many pinches~~by the lumpful, depending on the source. Because most times, only half truths are reported. The unfortunate part is we often get the wrong halves!

A case in point happened yesterday in USJ. One incident, three newspapers and three different stories! All appear to contradict my first hand account.

Via NST, 04 Aug 06; Police open fire at robbers’ car during chase
Via Star, 04 Aug 06; Robbers flee police pursuit
Via MM, 04 Aug 06; Fleeing robbers sideswipe cars

This was what actually happened.

I received an sms at about 4pm from SJ Alert reporting a robbery in USJ11 by 2 Malay men in a silver Camry WMN 8036.

At about 5.30pm, I saw this car outside my house, parked just across the road. It was facing the opposite direction as my car. I was on the way out to fetch my son from USJ20. The driver's side window was covered with a sunshade and I could make out some movements within. I got into my car and observed. At the same time, I also called Inspector Shan and our OrChiPD to notify them the car is now in USJ18.

Then I turned my car around to follow a little while after it moved off. The Camry made a U turn at the other end of the road. We then passed each other and I looked their direction to see what the two b*stard look like. Both wore baseball caps. The lean fella was driving while the chubby fella was at the passenger side. They made some gestures at me. I ignored them and drove on.

I drove on slowly to continue to observe. They took a parallel road and ended up following me for a while, even when I took a detour into USJ 18/1.

With Shan on the line, I told him that I will be leading the Camry out to Jalan Kewajipan towards the Police Station. He assured me that his men will be waiting near the mosque.

The Camry somehow decided not to follow me near the USJ18 surau. From this point, it sped off towards USJ17. I made a U turn and followed a distance behind it through USJ17/1 and Jalan Usaha. It then turned into USJ 16.

Shan was informed of this diversion and his men arrived in less than 5 minutes and waited at the only exit. OrChiPD also arrived at about the same time. After a short wait of about 5-10 minutes, the Camry reappeared. I heard a shot fired as it sped past the police.

The police gave chase. OrChiPD also followed while I headed off to USJ20 to fetch my son.

From what I gathered of the incident, the robbers abandoned the Camry in USJ5. They then entered a nearby house, accosted the occupants and escaped with their gold coloured Naza Ria (Reg No. NAZA 84). The driver is believed to have been injured by the gun shot.

Despite the bad publicities the police has been attracting, I witnessed some bravery and commitment from the men in blue. To this, I say BRAVO to Inspector Shan and his team from USJ 8 Balai Polis.

Some photos of the abandoned Camry here.

Please subscribe to SJ Alert. It probably saved me and someone else some grief yesterday had I not be on alert mode.

SJ Alert SMS System

2006-08-03T14:37:00.000+08:00

Dear Residents of SJ & USJ,

A group of concerned SJ/USJ residents has come together to start a SJ Alert SMS System. This FREE service will alert you on your Mobile Phone and also at your email address of Crime and other Emergencies, Utility Disruptions, Community Events and will include Weekly Crime reports direct from the Police in and around SJ/USJ.

As this service is presently provided FREE, we are to inform you that you will be also be receiving limited but moderated SMS Promotional Messages from the SJ Alert Committee from time to time.

This service can be deactivated at anytime by sending an SMS with the following text – "SJ Alert DEACTIVATE" to +6012-2093093 or by you sending an email to the undersigned at raymond@nwatch.net.my or robertec@nwatch.net.my

By your agreeing to subscribe to this FREE service, we are to REMIND you that you are STRONGLY advised against forwarding any of our messages to anyone at anytime. If you feel that your loved ones and friends should be in the loop, please encourage them to subscribe. This is to prevent the circulation of out-dated alerts which may create unnecessary anxiety to others. In this respect, we feel it pertinent to forewarn that you may ultimately be held responsible for any problems your action causes should you decide to ignore our advise.

If you agree to the above, please send a private email to raymond@nwatch.net.my or robertec@nwatch.net.my with the following details.

1. Name
2. Handphone No.
3. Email Address
4. Area : example USJ 18

If you have already registered earlier, please ignore this message.

Rumour mongers, beware!

2006-08-02T10:51:00.000+08:00

Just a thought - Please have the political will to start where it has to start, whether or not the originator is a Tun or a Tan.

Via The Star, 2 Aug 2006 - PM: Those who spread untruths on the Net will be detained

KUALA TERENGGANU: The Prime Minister has issued a warning – those who spread untruths and slander on the Internet will face the law.
If information in blogs, websites and online portals were incorrect, bordered on slander, caused disturbance or compelled the public to lose faith in the nation’s economic policies, their authors would be detained for investigation, said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.
Abdullah also said that those who sent out such information via short message system (SMS) would also be held accountable.

Via The NST, 2 Aug 2006 - Warning on using Net, SMS to spread rumours

KUALA TERENGGANU: Beware! Those spreading malicious comments and rumours can be detained and their websites or blogs investigated.
"We cannot allow the Internet or Short Messaging Service (SMS) to become a platform for people to spread rumours or threaten others," he told reporters after visiting the Islamic Civilisation theme park site here yesterday.

Aisehman has taken leave. Does he know something that we don't?

Chemical in Many Air Fresheners May Reduce Lung Function

2006-08-01T15:34:00.000+08:00

Human population studies at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS), a part of the National Institutes of Health, found that exposure to a volatile organic compound (VOC), called 1,4 dichlorobenzene (1,4 DCB) may cause modest reductions in lung function.

The chemical compound can be found in many air fresheners, toilet bowl cleaners, mothballs and other deodorizing products. It may be harmful to the lungs and the best way to protect yourself, especially children who may have asthma or other respiratory illnesses, is to reduce the use of products and materials that contain these compounds.

Now, go check the labels of those cans you have in your cars, kitchens, toilets and wardrobes.

NIH News: Chemical in Many Air Fresheners May Reduce Lung Function

24 hours working day

2006-08-01T09:08:00.000+08:00

My streamyx phone line is down. Kaput and no dial tone since yesterday evening.

By 11pm I was having withdrawal symptoms. So I called Telekoms at 100 to report the faulty line. A SYT took my report and contact details.

"So how long can I expect the line to be repaired?", I asked before I hung up.

"Within 24 hours working day, Mr. Tan."

Huh? Blur .... I am now keeping my fingers crossed that I don't have to wait for 3 working days for wahtever fault to be rectified. I just do not think I can survive on dial up for 24 hours working day!

Why children should not be MPs

2006-07-31T08:38:00.000+08:00

Just returned from a 3 and half days review of the Money & You seminar which was held at the Subang Holiday Villa over the weekend. More on that at another appropriate time.

Meanwhile, I came across Intan Mastura's opinion piece as I skimmed The Star this morning, trying to catch up on the news. I thought Intan described very well the few reasons why children should not be MPs.

One, they are emotionally immature.

Two, children have a tendency to tell tales on their friends, classmates and other members of their playgroup.

Three, they are not able to distinguish fact from fiction.

Four, children have problems accepting authority.

And five, they fall asleep in class.

Hold a minute, did she say children?

Risking

2006-07-26T14:05:00.000+08:00

Two seeds lay side by side in the fertile spring soil.

The First Seed said, "I want to grow! I want to send my roots deep into the soil beneath me, and thrust my sprouts through the earth's crust above me . . . I want to unfurl my tender buds like banners to announce the arrival of Spring. I want to feel the warmth of the sun on my face and the blessing of the morning dew on my petals!"

And so she grew.

The Second Seed said, "I am afraid! If I send my roots into the ground below, I don't know what I will encounter in the dark. If I push my way through the hard soil above me I may damage my delicate sprouts . . . what if I let my buds open and a snail tries to eat them? And if I were to open my blossoms, a small child may pull me from the ground. No, it is much better for me to wait until it is safe."

And so she waited.

A yard hen, scratching around for food in the early Spring ground, found the waiting seed and promptly ate it.

By Patty Hansen

MORAL OF THE STORY - Those who refuse to risk and grow get swallowed up by life.

Good turnout to dialogue with police

2006-07-23T23:38:00.000+08:00

I suppose the organisers should be happy with the turnout to this dialogue with the police despite the adverse weather. The auditorium was filled up by the time we started at about 2.45pm. Many late comers were happy to just stand and sit along the aisles.

Syabas to you all and thank you for making this event a success. More to come, I am made to understand.

The Little Soul and the Sun

2006-07-19T23:18:00.000+08:00

This parable - which first appeared in a slightly different form in Neale Donald Walsch's best-selling book Conversations with God Book 1 - will make a lasting impression on all children aged 1-100!

You might find it gives lovely, positive answers to many difficult questions, freeing us from the need to judge ourselves and others, and helping us towards a lighter, more playful attitude to life, even in life's trickier moments.

It gives us a new way of looking at why 'bad' things sometimes happen, and a new way of dealing with those things when they occur. It also shows that everyone is loved by God in the same way, and that even people we may not consider to be our friends may be God's angels in disguise.

An excerpt here.

Ethnic Dis-relation

2006-07-19T15:09:00.000+08:00

If what has been reported in the press is true, then Higher Education Minister Datuk Mustapa Mohamed certainly has alot to catch up on relationships! Just because he isn't getting any smarter doesn't mean the rest of us aren't.

You just cannot build any relationship with anyone if you start by distorting and telling half truths, Sir.

Star, 19 Jul 2006 - UPM guide for lecturers stays
Star, 19 Jul 2006 - Don: Be careful in ethnic relations
Star, 19 Jul 2006 - Mustapa’s reply on Kg Medan riots irks MPs
Star, 19 Jul 2006 - Ong: Textbooks should consider sensitive issues
NST, 19 Jul 2006 - Continuing furore over guidebook
NST, 19 Jul 2006 - Universiti Malaya leads in racial unity courses
Star, 18 Jul 2006 - Nazri: UPM book is seditious

Laughable

2006-07-17T23:24:00.000+08:00

Want to know why Malaysians are still reading only two books per year?

One laughable reason is the National Library’s Director-General, Dr Haji Wan Ali Wan Mamat. See his interview in the Sunday Star, reproduced verbatim below;

How do you feel about the new reading campaign lasting five years?

I am very happy. Continuous efforts are needed to change the reading habits of a society. We need time to implement changes, for example the price of books, and to increase the number of libraries and local writers.

Was last year’s reading campaign a success?

Yes, I think it was a success. It was ... not bad.

How did you measure its success?

We did not measure.

So what makes you say that it was a success?

I guess, you could say because the use of libraries increased. Book sales also maybe increased.

Do you have data on the increase of library use and book sales?

No, we do not have any data yet. It is my impression that the campaign was a success.

What do you base your impression on?

For example ... there are not enough seats in the library on Saturdays nowadays. This is partly thanks to our new wing with more books.

How many books are in the new wing?

I am not sure. More books ... maybe three times the number in the old area.

You also have a nice new roof! How much did it cost?

More than RM5mil.

How much did the new books in the new wing cost?

I’m not sure, but very much more than what we spent the year before.

Sorry to say this but I think a monkey will make a better chief. Cheaper also.

The Little Boy

2006-07-16T22:19:00.000+08:00

Once a little boy went to school.
He was quite a little boy
And it was quite a big school.
But when the little boy
Found that he could go to his room
By walking right in from the door outside
He was happy;
And the school did not seem
Quite so big anymore.

One morning
When the little boy had been in school awhile,
The teacher said:
"Today we are going to make a picture."
"Good!" thought the little boy.
He liked to make all kinds;
Lions and tigers,
Chickens and cows,
Trains and boats;
And he took out his box of crayons
And began to draw.

But the teacher said, "Wait!"
"It is not time to begin!"
And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,
"We are going to make flowers."
"Good!" thought the little boy,
He liked to make beautiful ones
With his pink and orange and blue crayons.
But the teacher said "Wait!"
"And I will show you how."
And it was red, with a green stem.
"There," said the teacher,
"Now you may begin."

The little boy looked at his teacher's flower
Then he looked at his own flower.
He liked his flower better than the teacher's
But he did not say this.
He just turned his paper over,
And made a flower like the teacher's.
It was red, with a green stem.

On another day
When the little boy had opened
The door from the outside all by himself,
The teacher said:
"Today we are going to make something with clay."
"Good!" thought the little boy;
He liked clay.
He could make all kinds of things with clay:
Snakes and snowmen,
Elephants and mice,
Cars and trucks
And he began to pull and pinch
His ball of clay.

But the teacher said, "Wait!"
"It is not time to begin!
"And she waited until everyone looked ready.
"Now," said the teacher,
"We are going to make a dish."
"Good!" thought the little boy,
He liked to make dishes.
And he began to make some
That were all shapes and sizes.

But the teacher said "Wait!"
"And I will show you how."
And she showed everyone how to make
One deep dish.
"There," said the teacher,
"Now you may begin."

The little boy looked at the teacher's dish;
Then he looked at his own.
He liked his better than the teacher's
But he did not say this.
He just rolled his clay into a big ball again
And made a dish like the teacher's.
It was a deep dish.

And pretty soon
The little boy learned to wait,
And to watch
And to make things just like the teacher.
And pretty soon
He didn't make things of his own anymore.

Then it happened
That the little boy and his family
Moved to another house,
In another city,
And the little boy
Had to go to another school.

This school was even bigger
Than the other one.
And there was no door from the outside
Into his room.
He had to go up some big steps
And walk down a long hall
To get to his room.

And the very first day
He was there,
The teacher said:
"Today we are going to make a picture."

"Good!" thought the little boy.
And he waited for the teacher
To tell what to do.
But the teacher didn't say anything.
She just walked around the room.

When she came to the little boy
She asked, "Don't you want to make a picture?"
"Yes," said the lttle boy.
"What are we going to make?"
"I don't know until you make it," said the teacher.
"How shall I make it?" asked the little boy.
"Why, anyway you like," said the teacher.
"And any color?" asked the little boy.
"Any color," said the teacher.
"If everyone made the same picture,
And used the same colors,
How would I know who made what,
And which was which?"
"I don't know," said the little boy.
And he began to make a red flower with a green stem.

By Helen E. Buckley

Super-M Returns

2006-07-14T14:01:00.000+08:00

Deputy Internal Security Minister Datuk Johari Baharum must be on dope to dare suggest Rafidah as a mediator to the ongoing Clash of the Titans. What lah, you!

"Johari proposed that senior ministers who once served in Dr Mahathir’s Cabinet could act as mediators. Among the names he suggested were Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu, Energy, Water and Communications Minister Datuk Seri Dr Lim Keng Yaik and International Trade and Industry Minister Datuk Seri Rafidah Aziz."
Meanwhile, when Super-M returns .....

... how would you expect him to respond to this disclosure?

Brace your seat belts, countrymen.

Dialogue with Police

2006-07-13T23:22:00.000+08:00

The USJ Residents Association is organising a dialogue with the police on:

Date: 23 July 2006, Sunday

Time: 2.30pm to 5.00pm

Venue: MPSJ Theatrette, MPSJ Building, USJ 5

ADUN Subang Jaya Dato' Lee Hwa Beng and Subang Jaya OCPD Asst Comm Muhammad Fuad Talib will be in attendance.

People of USJ, if you have any issues to bring up, this is your opportunity to speak up.

Tobacco May Kill 1 Billion This Century

2006-07-13T00:01:00.000+08:00

Tobacco kills.

Tobacco alone is predicted to kill a billion people this century, 10 times the toll it took in the 20th century, if current trends hold.

If that is so, why isn't more done to curb tobacco usage. Why isn't steps taken to eliminate some of the most common risk factors for cancer that could save millions of lives over the next few decades?

Is it because the benefits outweigh the risks?

Or is it because the much hated smokers are being exterminated?

Heck, I don't intend to be part of the 1B statistics.

I QUIT. I QUIT. I QUIT. Effective NOW!

Sportsmanship

2006-07-12T10:49:00.000+08:00

A gem of a joke from Eddie Fong to the Edwardian newsgroup.

Out on her royal yacht the queen was enjoying the sea air when she spied a man in the water off the port bow - clearly being menaced by a very large shark. Through her binoculars she could see it was Cristiano Ronaldo, struggling frantically to free himself from the jaws of a 20 foot shark!

The queen ordered the captain to change course to try and save the poor man, but she knew the yacht's top speed would never get them there in time.

At that exact moment a speedboat containing three men wearing white England shirts sped into view. One of the men took aim at the shark and fired a harpoon into its ribs, immobilising it instantly. The other two reached out and pulled Ronaldo from the water and, using long clubs, beat the shark to death.
They bundled the bleeding, semi-conscious Ronaldo into the speedboat along with the dead shark and prepared for a hasty retreat, when they heard frantic calling .......

It was the Queen calling them to the yacht.

On reaching yacht the Queen went into raptures about the rescue and said to Beckham, Rooney and Gerrard (for it was they), "I will give you a knighthood for your brave actions. I thought the England team would hate Ronaldo after the world cup, but I see that my England team are true heroes and should serve as a model for sportsmanship to other countries."

She knighted them there and then, and proceeded to sail away.

As she departed, Rooney asked the others, "Who was that?!"

"That," Beckham answered, "was our Queen. She rules the Commonwealth and knows everything an all that about our country."

"Well," Rooney replied, "she definitely knows F*ck-all about shark fishing. How's the bait holding up?"

Zen Stories

2006-07-11T14:08:00.000+08:00

A Zen story on the Useless Life, to share.

A farmer got so old that he couldn't work the fields anymore. So he would spend the day just sitting on the porch. His son, still working the farm, would look up from time to time and see his father sitting there.
"He's of no use any more," the son thought to himself, "he doesn't do anything!"
One day the son got so frustrated by this, that he built a wood coffin, dragged it over to the porch, and told his father to get in. Without saying anything, the father climbed inside. After closing the lid, the son dragged the coffin to the edge of the farm where there was a high cliff.
As he approached the drop, he heard a light tapping on the lid from inside the coffin. He opened it up. Still lying there peacefully, the father looked up at his son.
I know you are going to throw me over the cliff, but before you do, may I suggest something?"
"What is it?" replied the son.
"Throw me over the cliff, if you like," said the father, "but save this good wood coffin. Your children might need to use it."

More Zen stories here.

To make sure that you do not fall asleep while reading, concentrate on your mind.

18 more ministers among 'elite' speedsters

2006-07-10T22:16:00.000+08:00

If only our ministers can deliver as fast as they drive.

Exclusive from Malaysiakini: 18 more ministers among 'elite' speedsters.

"More than half of the 32 ministers in the cabinet have become part of the 'elite club' of VIP traffic offenders with outstanding fines amounting to at least RM115,680.
Based on a check of online traffic user search site rilek.com.my, malaysiakini discovered that 18 ministers have accumulated a total of 918 unpaid summons among them over several years, mainly for speeding. Four of them account for 472 of the summons."

Natural-born Liars

2006-07-10T21:13:00.000+08:00

40% of 3-year-olds who have just learned to speak lie. 100% of 5-year-olds lie. 83-90% of adults lie.

Women are much better at detecting a lie with emotional material and men with factual material.

That makes almost everyone one of us a natural-born liar.

Interesting article from theSun, 10 July 2006.

Bridge over troubled water

2006-07-10T09:00:00.000+08:00

Be a bridge over troubled water.

Never fail to be a friend indeed when you see a friend in need. Often the bridge you build over troubled water is the very bridge you yourself may need to cross.

The story is told of a young man hiking through the mountains, when a sudden blinding storm struck. The entire area was covered with deep snow. Before long, the hiker's hands and feet grew numb as he wandered through the storm and snow in search of shelter.

Just then he came upon an older man who had collapsed in the snow. "Are you OK?" asked the hiker.

"I'm so cold and so tired," the weary man stammered. "My legs are numb, and I don't think I have the strength to go any further."

The hiker responded: "Let me help you." He then removed his gloves and began rubbing the man's arms and legs. After several minutes of this gentle massage, the man felt strong enough to stand on his feet.

The two men, supporting each other, made their way through the storm.

Once they reached safety and shelter, the younger man thanked the other for all his help.

"Thank me?" said the older man. "I never would have made it out of there if it wasn't for you. I owe you my life," he said.

"No, you don't understand," responded the younger man. "I was tired, cold, and ready to give up. Helping you gave me the strength and determination to carry on. I owe you everything."

By VICTOR M. PARACHIN

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari

2006-07-09T00:16:00.000+08:00

The Monk Who Sold His Ferrari is one of Robin Sharma's most successful books. It is being made into a motion picture due for release in 2007. Sharma is acting in it, as well.

This book centers around the character of Julian Mantle, a superstar lawyer who collapsed right in the middle of a packed coutroom.

It is a fable about a spiritual journey, littered with powerful life lessons that teach us how to embrace destiny, live life to the full and discover joy.

I would strongly recommend this great book to everyone. Especially to all the workoholics out there because there is more to life than the 6' x 8' cubicles you are holed into. Julian should know because he has been there before, so please hear him out.

"And please never, ever forget the gift of family. Live your children's childhood. Few things are as meaningful as being a part of your children's childhood. What is the point of climbing the steps of success if you have missed the first steps of your own kids? What good is owning the biggest house on your block if you have not taken the time to create a home? What is the used of being known across the country as a red-hot trial lawyer if your kids don't even know their father?" Julian offered, his voice now quivering with emotion.

After his near-fatal heart attack, Julian, aged 53, was given this choice by his doctors: your life or your career. He chose the former and sold off his mansion, his plane, private island and even his ferrari to embark on a journey in the mystical land of India, obviously in search of answers.

Thus begins his journey of self discovery, which took him 3 years.

The more he explored, the more he heard of Indian monks who had lived beyond the age of a hundred, monks who despite their advanced years maintained youthful, energetic and vital lives. The more he travelled, the more he learned of ageless yogis who had mastered the art of mind-control and spiritual awakening. And the more he saw, the more he longed to understand the dynamics behind these miracles of human nature, hoping to apply their philosopies to his own life.

It was while he was in Kashmir that he had the good fortune to meet Yogi Krishnan who told him about the Great Sages of Sivana. Julian set off again to search for this lost land of Sivana.

He travelled into the rarified regions of the Himalayas. Along the way, he met Yogi Raman, one of the sages who went on to become his mentor. From the sages, he learned, among others, about the seven virtues for a life overflowing with inner peace, joy and a wealth of spiritual gifts. All contained within an imaginative mystical fable which has the essence of it all.

"You are sitting in the middle of a magnificent, lush, green garden. This garden is filled with the most spectacular flowers you have ever seen. The environment is supremely tranquil and silent. Savor the sensual delights of this garden and feel as if you have all the time in the world to enjoy this natural oasis. As you look around you see that in the center of this magical garden stands a towering, red lighthouse, six stories high. Suddenly, the silence of the garden is disturbed by a loud creaking as the door at the base of the lighthouse opens. Out stumbles a nine-foot-tall, nine-hundred-pound Japanese sumo wrestler who casually wanders into the center of the garden.
As this sumo wrestler starts to move around the garden, he finds a shiny gold stopwatch which someone had left behind many years earlier. He slips it on, and falls to the ground with an enormous thud. The sumo wrestler is rendered unconscious and lies there, silent and still. Just when you think he has taken his last breath, the wrestler awakens, perhaps stirred by the fragrance of some fresh yellow roses blooming nearby. Energized, the wrestler jumps swiftly to his feet and intuitively looks to his left. He is startled at what he sees. Through the bushes at the very edge of the garden he observes a long winding path covered by millions of sparkling diamonds.
Something seems to instruct the wrestler to take the path, and to his credit, he does. This path leads him down the road of everlasting joy and eternal bliss."

If you wish to know more about the sages' secret to the Seven Timeless Virtues of Enlightened Living, which Julian promised to spread to the world, go get yourself this book.

Who doesn't want a Merc?

2006-07-08T00:07:00.000+08:00

One eye Jasin wanted a Merc. A one eye Merc, I think. He could not get one. And threw a tantrum.

A former resident of USJ 18, let's call him Tua Pow Sian. He also wanted a Merc. But he claimed that Naza doesn't have any stock for him. That was 2 years ago. He drives a Kenari now.

Me? Heck, who doesn't want a Merc? But I got no money yet. So how?

Cans of Worms

2006-07-07T23:25:00.000+08:00

The spirit of the worm was invoked by a very powerful shaman not too long ago.

Thereafter, worms begin to appear in every nook and corner. They crawl out by the cans every other day.

And this latest can must contain the biggest worms of all.

Getting very scary now. Scarier than a horror movie.

The ancient sages did warn us to be careful of what we wish for, didn't they?

Malaysia, oh Malaysia!

Life is Great

2006-07-07T23:13:00.000+08:00

Life is great.

First, a sore arse. Setback close to RM5,000.

Then my pc. The motherboard and power supply unit died on me on the same day. Another RM450.

Ain't life great?

U.S. doctors' warning: Don't pass the salt

2006-07-03T16:26:00.000+08:00

Food industry could help 80 million Americans with high blood pressure if they cut salt use by 50 per cent, they say.

July 2, 2006 ALTIMORE - SALT can be hazardous to your health. That is the message American doctors want sent out.

Worried by the high salt content in processed foods and restaurant meals, the American Medical Association (AMA) has adopted several recommendationsto help consumers.

These include persuading the Food and Drug Administration to revoke salt's status as a food 'generally recognised as safe', opening the door to regulation.

It is also calling for new public-education efforts and a new label - a red salt shaker - to warn consumers when food portions are high in salt.

It also hopes to work with the food industry to cut the salt in processed, take-out and restaurant food by at least 50 per cent gradually, over 10 years.

The reason: An estimated 80 million Americans have high blood pressure, which can be worsened by high-salt diets, leading to increased risks for cardiovascular disease and death.

'That's almost half the population that has a condition that can be helped by industry doing things that are right, like letting consumers know how much of a potentially harmful substance is in the food they're consuming,' said Dr James Rohack, cardiologist and immediate past chairman of the AMA's board of trustees.

The Salt Institute, representing the salt industry, disagrees. It says there is no scientific evidence that cutting everyone's salt intake will reduce overall mortality from cardiovascular disease.

'Following the AMA recommendation is scientifically unjustified and a waste of time and money,' said the institute's president Richard Hanneman.

Some salt is essential for health. Author Mark Kurlansky of Salt: A World History says it is vital for nerve and muscle function, digestion and bloodpressure.

Humans have used it as a food preservative, flavouring and even as currency. It also tastes good.

Based on clinical studies, the federal government recommends that adults consume less than 2,300mg of sodium per day.

That's the sodium in just 6g of salt, chemically known as sodium chloride.

Although the AMA report suggests reducing sodium intake to 1,500mg per day, most American men aged 31 to 50 - and three-quarters of the women - consume more than 2,300mg, the AMA said.

Some 80 per cent of Americans' salt intake comes from processed foods, take-out and restaurant food, Dr Rohack said.

As the salt enters the bloodstream, the body retains water in order to maintain a proper salt/water balance.

A high-salt diet 'overloads the kidneys' ability to filter and get rid of the extra water', he said.

The water increases blood volume, which increases blood pressure. High salt intake is bad news in congestive heart failure, the No. 1 diagnosis among hospitalised Medicare patients.

It is a weakening of the heart muscle and retention of fluids that can cause breathing difficulties.

Although there are many risk factors to address - smoking, inactivity and obesity - Dr Rohack says cutting salt intake gets results and patients needless medication to control their condition.

That's why the AMA wants to enlist government and the food industry to gradually cut the salt in prepared foods.

But Dr Michael Alderman, a professor at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York and president of the International Society of Hypertension, thinks otherwise.

Although it is clear that lowering salt intake will lower blood pressure, he argues, it doesn't prove that cutting salt intake will, on the whole, save lives.

In a review of 13 studies of the effect of salt reduction on patient mortality published in March by the American Journal of Medicine, DrAlderman and three colleagues found no clear consensus.

The Salt Institute, which has engaged Dr Alderman as an unpaid consultant and referred to his work in responding to AMA, wants more study of the issue.

AMA's Dr Rohack is undeterred. 'To ask the FDA to focus on something that potentially can cause a lot of harm in a lot of individuals,' he insisted, 'is the right thing to do at this time in our country.' -- Los Angeles Times

Aiyoh, when the experts disagree, we all how ah? Moderation ... for me and my family.

Presbyopia

2006-07-01T22:10:00.000+08:00

If you are past middle age and you find it difficult to focus on printed material in front of you, you may be suffering from presbyopia.

Try reading from the chart below. If you need to be at a distance away to make out the text, you better hurry and get yourself treated before you go blind!

Are we rude? You @#%& well believe it!

2006-06-30T15:59:00.000+08:00

This letter to theSun says it all.

Are we rude? You #%& well believe it!

Old School Dies at 50

2006-06-28T01:00:00.000+08:00

Kim Klaver announced, in her blog, the passing of the Old School network marketing (aka Old School MLM). It is believed he was about 50.

"Old School died of complications from a terminal image problem and a misguided focus on big money. He had been ill for some years, weakened by excessive recruiting, mercenary tactics and customer neglect. Doctors identified the most harmful tactics that accelerated the spread of the fatal image: hype, promising quick money, telling half-truths, and selling out friendships.

He is survived by his 17-year old daughter New School, and her many stepchildren.

New School urges network marketers not to abandon their past, but let it help guide the future. She predicts that in time and with consistent practice in the new approaches, network marketing will become a jewel in mainstream American business."

Persistence is a state of mind

2006-06-27T13:08:00.000+08:00

"The person of good and lawful purpose cannot fail. It only needs that he daily renew the fire and energy of his fixed resolve, to consummate his object." - The Mastery of Destiny

It is the great equalizer for all of those reaching for success.

It overcomes lack of education, money, talent, intelligence, looks and all other seeming advantages. President Calvin Coolidge said nothing could take its place.

"Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent."

I cannot think of one victory I've ever had that I won without persistence. For a while I just thought that I had to work harder and longer than anyone else in order to achieve because nothing has ever come easy for me. Then I really looked around and noticed that everyone else was just like me. Every mentor I've ever had and every successful person I've ever known has their own story of how persistence was the key to their success.

Here's what Bob Proctor teaches on one of the Universal Laws called the Law of Gender: "This law decrees that all seeds (ideas are spiritual seeds) have a gestation or incubation period before they manifest. In other words, when you choose a goal or build the image in your mind, a definite period of time must elapse before that image manifests in physical results."

Coming from a family of six generations of farmers I certainly understand the gestation of a seed. In fact, one of my most favorite inspirational examples about persistence is the story of an Asian Bamboo species that even after five years of watering, weeding and fertilizing is barely visible. Then in a span of about six weeks it grows two and a half feet a day to 90 feet and higher. It grows so fast that you can literally "hear" it growing. The question to ask is did the bamboo grow 90 feet in six weeks or did it grow 90 feet in five years?

Obviously it grew 90 feet in five years, for all the time when growth wasn't visible it was developing a massive root system that would later support it's magnificent growth.

Can you see where the current circumstances in your life are developing your massive root system? Can you see where you must continue to "fertilize" and "water" yourself even though maybe you can't see any visible changes today?

Napoleon Hill thought that persistence was such a key to success that he devoted an entire chapter to it in the classic Think and Grow Rich. He writes, "Persistence is a state of mind, therefore it can be cultivated....Before success comes in any person's life, he is sure to meet with much temporary defeat, and, perhaps, some failure. When defeat overtakes a person, the easiest and most logical thing to do is to QUIT. That is exactly what the majority of people do. More than five hundred of the most successful people this country has ever known, told the author their greatest success came just one step beyond the point at which defeat had overtaken them."

And that's worth thinking about.

Courtesy of James Allen eMeditation - June 5, 2006.
To Listen to this week's message in audio.
To subscribe, click here.

Having problems with your service provider?

2006-06-27T11:05:00.000+08:00

Having problems with your service provider? Welcome to the world. It happens not only in Malaysia just as this incident shows.

"An incredible audio recording from CNBC shows an AOL customer trying to cancel his account, but a phone rep won't let him do it. What customer Vincent Ferrari got when he tried to cancel his account was a lot of frustration.
It took him 15 minutes waiting on the phone just to reach a real, live person.
And, what happened next was recorded by Ferrari on audio and lasted about
four minutes:"

Sometimes you’ve got to fight when you’re a man!

2006-06-26T23:03:00.000+08:00

Now that the piper has played his tune and "Tommy Nazri" has entered the bar room, has it all begun? The dance, I mean.

Dr Mahathir Should Leave Umno, Says Nazri.
Malaysia Min Urges Mahathir To Leave Party.
Be a 'jantan', leave Umno, Mahathir told
Be a 'jantan-man'... brabus!

BN must rise above race to shape nation’s future

2006-06-26T11:05:00.000+08:00

Via the NST; Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi says that Barisan Nasional component parties should transcend communal interests to realise Vision 2020, which is of paramount importance to all Malaysians.

Very laughable, Pak Lah. Please tell that to the Youth wing of a certain BN component party. They are about the only group that dares play on communal issues.

The very same group that lodged a police report against me over the USJ 8 police station saga. Tell them, please.

The Coward of the County

2006-06-26T09:32:00.000+08:00

Just in case you missed it in the New Sunday Times yesterday.

The man whom Tun M refers to as the "Hindu god and Muslim priest" ended his regular Sunday Column with Kenny Roger’s song, The Coward of the County.

This can only mean two things to me.

One, he is suggesting that Pak Lah will be fighting back.

Or two, he is suggesting that Pak Lak fights back.

Sometimes you’ve got to fight when you’re a man!

Hemorrhoids lah

2006-06-26T09:19:00.000+08:00

Nothing major, guys. Just a small surgery to remove my hemorrhoids.

One small post-surgery challenge. Can't sit for long with the sore arse!

And the doctor said the real pain will be felt after the third day, i.e. today. But so far so good. Still bearable sitting on a pillow.

My apologies for causing some anxiety to all of you kind folks out there and thank you for the good wishes. All's well now.

Crime alerts via SMS, e-mail, fax

2006-06-22T00:16:00.000+08:00

This blog entry on crime alerting should be of interest to all our crime fighters. I shall only be exploring all the links after I have my posterior remodelled at SJMC. Will have to check in tomorrow morning and will probably be out of action and incommunicado for the rest of the week.

Wish me well.

Thanks to John Postill for pointing out this link.