I'm Off...

Yes, for a week...

I'm off to Yogyakarta, Indonesia for a-week long vacation, 6 days actually. I planned my trip in between of the two meetings which I've to sit in as Secretariat and a thought that I'll start my new role in HQ on 1st December.

However, it turned out that I've to report to HQ last Friday, so I don't have to sit in the two meetings as I've mentioned earlier. If I knew this would happen, I would've planned for a longer trip. Regret? Yes! But I'm still thankful that my new boss (in a new place) still allow me to go on 'long' leave...

Well in life, you win some and lose some at the same time...

Anyway, Yogya, here I come!!

An Act of Kurang Ajar

I read this article from Berita Harian with anger. A very 'kurang ajar' act from Malaysia's 'kurang ajar' but the most favorite son of the government, Naza. I dont know whether the MoF will give any feedback to Naza's proposal to buy Proton. But if I'm the Minister of Finance or the PM, I would just throw the letter into the dustbin, without having to shred it for confidentiality purposes.

Why bother looking at or evaluate the letter when the government has clearly stated that Proton needs a foreign alliance, due to the reasons that (some of them) Proton could benefit from the technology transfer, Proton would have greater access to international market and Proton could benefit from the ally's worldwide procurement database for cheaper components.

And what does this 'kurang ajar' favorite son of Malaysia have to offer Proton?!

Technology transfer? Bullshit - what technology do you have from just rebadging other makes' cars into Naza logo (and with minor cosmetic changes) and claim it as national car for tax rebates and other incentives.

Access to international market? Kiss your mom's ass - how many cars you already exported and to which country?!

Access to cheaper components? Yeah you're right.. you've helped developed the local automotive industry by growing the vendors which converts into high employment, bla bla bla. Excuse me, didn't you learn history of the industry. That all started way back before 1985 with Proton.

So, I don't think government should waste their time evaluating the proposal especially when the think tanks in EPU busy spending time calculating how much equity does Bumiputra hold in Malaysia's companies.

Or, maybe the government just like to waste their time very much like what Proton Board of Directors did in the last financial year - attending 21 BOD meeting in a year!! (source: Proton Annual Report 2006). That's equivalent to almost 2 meetings a month. And I don't think the management meet that often. Or, maybe the attendance allowance is lucrative.. errr RM1,000/meeting x 21 meetings = RM21,000. Aaaaa.....

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Macam lelaki mandul but volunteering himself to donate sperm to a couple yang tak dapat anak after so many years of marriage...

Pepatah Melayu Messed Up

I reported duty at a new place on Friday. As usual, you'll send email or sms to your acquaintances on your new contact details...

And I received a reply from one of my friends. He said, "...happy working in new office..."

I replied him back, "...ada pepatah kata tempat jatuh lagi dikenang..." Sure enough the new work place is nowhere close to compare to the places I've worked before, that includes the people and everything...

Few moments later, he replied again, "...ada jugak pepatah kata 'barang lepas jangan dikenang'..."

Oh no! I think the Malays have been messed themselves up even in the very beginning. Look at what happen today, even in the biggest Malay party - they're all messed up. Even the pepatah also are all messed up. Maybe there's a different between 'tempat' and 'barang' in the two pepatah...

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Just think how Malays are asked to be polite and it turns out that we're in the losing side. When someone asks, "Would you like something to drink?" and you replied "It's ok" to be polite but you ended up burning your throat thirsty

Long Life Secrets

This article was taken from NST 19th November 2006...

Somehow, this sort of articles become not just more and more attractive to me but they're my must-read articles. Just wonder if it is the 'nearing 30s syndrome', if there's any?

So, the 9 secrets, which I don't really think they're secrets anymore... maybe it's a strategy to invite people to read the article. Well... they are:

1) Strong grip... I grip very strongly on certain things and certain parts of body and on certain people :-)

2) A good education... I'm ok here, but cant really relate education to long life

3) A wife... excuse me, I would like to object! It's ok, it's just one of 9 secrets...

4) Not becoming overweight... couldn't agree more...

5) Having low blood pressure... given, I told you it's no more secret.

6) Low level of bad cholesterol... this could be the biggest secrets of all, hehehe...

7) Low blood sugar level... am I too sweet for you? :-)

8) Not drinking alcohol excessively...

9) Not smoking... err.. what about just cleaning the 'ash tray'? Remember 69?

So, keep all these secrets to yourself and have one goal in mind... to marry 20-year old girl when you're 80. Long live!!!

Going Separate Ways

This is a picture of my two turtles... they are err err err.. I still have not given them any name all this while.. probably Labu & Labi... well, that's besides of the story. Looks like something is going wrong with them, like they were having arguments the night before or they just decided to go separate ways...

Going separate ways... that could be the best description for 800++ staff of TM Net. With the recently announced (not so recent actually) rationalization of access services, i.e. streamyx, TM Net will just handle content and digital home thingy, with the needs of manpower of just 200++.

So, the rest of 500++ will have to go separate ways, some will be transfered to TM Retail, some will leave for TM Wholesale, some will join TM Malaysia Business and some will just resign...

And to my shock, a call received on 15th November requested (or directed) me to report to Malaysia Business the next day, which I managed to defer to 17th.

Adios TM Net! For all the fun, the joy, the happiness, not forgetting the headaches... :-) I wont be miles away, though...

#21 Oregon 10, #7 USC 35

Oregon Ducks (7-3, 4-3) lost to USC Trojans. This should put an end to any hope of the Ducks winning the conference title, after unranked Arizona Wildcats defeated #8 California Golden Bears early on.

... and to make the matter worst, the Ducks were eliminated in the AP's top 25 ranking, released on Sunday. It marks the first time the Ducks are unranked this year.

Next up: Oregon vs Arizona

My Two Henrys

Recently I came across a picture of an old friend. The picture was taken when we went for fishing somewhere in the sea near Pekan, or Kuantan I cant remember. He is whom I call My Henry... tribute to my favorite soccer star, Thierry Henry.

Why? Look at the pic below...

Same... just a little modification on the nose! :-)

Bad Parenting Or Poor Teaching

I think several times before I decided to comment on this article. Why? First of all, I've never been a parent or a teacher. But, I've experienced good parenting cum good tuition teaching...


Ok, let's pity the kid for once... and let's just move on, it won't get the kid anywhere if we keep on pitying her.

Questions: 1) Why she did not do her homework? 2) Why, at 7-year old, she failed to write some simple Chinese words?

Arguments:
1) The parents failed to monitor the kid whether she has done her homework before going to the tuition class.
2) The parents failed to keep track on the progress of the kid's learning. Remember.. it's just simple Chinese words and it doesn't take a genius to teach a kid to write the words. And shouldn't the parents feel mad to the kid that she has wasted their money to pay for the tuition fees for nothing learned?
3) What's the role of the kid's school teacher (not tuition teacher) in this scenario? Shouldn't school teacher covers simple/basic stuffs and tuition teacher is the one to enrich/recap what was learned in school?

My conclusion: The guilty ones - 1) Tuition teacher, for canning the kid. He/She should just teach moderately and get tuition fees by end of the month. Most guilty ones are the parents for arguments 1 and 2 above, and the school teacher for the argument 3.

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Thanks, Mak for being parent cum tuition teacher. And you should be proud of me too for saving some money by not taking up any tuition class :-)

#24 Oregon 34, Washington 14

Jonathan Stewart ran for 159 yards and two touchdowns as No. 24 Oregon rolled up 316 yards on the ground and beat Washington 34-14. Patrick Chung opened the scoring with a 59-yard punt return for a touchdown and had an interception for Oregon (7-2, 4-2). Dennis Dixon completed 14 of 25 passes for 109 yards for the Ducks, but the Huskies (4-6, 2-5) capitalized on his two interceptions for their only scores. Jeremiah Johnson also ran for a score for Oregon, which has beaten Washington at home three consecutive years. The Huskies have lost five straight after starting the season 4-1, with their hopes of postseason play dimming.

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Last weekend, the Ducks defeated non-conference team, Portland State 55-12