7th heaven 七重天

Weekend getaway to ........

2011-06-18T21:22:00.000+08:00

Just let the pictures do the talking :)

Juicy oranges and watermelon. yumyum..

naughty monkeys abundant

claypot tiger prawn in special sauce

fish spa RM10 for 20 minutes. Didn't feel much difference on my feet after that though haha..

cosy dining

tasteful deco at restaurant

Think of an island. Getaway from the hecticness of daily life. Need the break from Hell :P

Soft sand on my feet, with the sea waves caressing..

Cheap liquors everywhere...i love these bottles' design!

Cosy dining at Putumayo, outstanding restaurant of year 2010/2011 ..

Another fine dining place named "seafood and steakhouse". A must-visit place for the food and romantic atmosphere when ur here!

The best Mojito in the island! Or so the waiter claims...lol. Opted for alcoholic beverage since liquor is cheaper than mineral water over here ;)

Comfy ambient. Attentive service. Yummilicious food. Whats not to like? I could sit for hours here.

Poor me was totally burnt, notice the obvious V neck line. LOL.

On the left is Tuna sandwich set from the only Mexican cafe around the beach. Big set for just RM6+. truly value for money, compare to cafes elsewhere along the road.

Should be obvious now where is this place, isn't it? haha..

Fatty monkey who snatch food from island's unsuspecting visitors.

What ur looking at? Don't be jealous of my big balls! :P

To 愛 or not 愛

2011-05-20T20:50:00.000+08:00

B=Brain
H=Heart

H: I want 愛 phone. The white colour looks so pure. Just like me!

B: 愛 for what? Your phone is still functioning properly. Why waste money and pollute the mother earth?

H: The old phone is not use friendly. Not sensitive at all to my touch. And it always hang. I hate it!

B: 愛 phone is damn expensive. One year of ownership cost RM 3k+!

H: Its expensive for a reason. There are so many useful apps. Like whatsapp lets u sms others for free. Can even call up people middle of the night to pee, for free! And Viber let u call for free! Facetime...medical apps...photo apps...g apps...its amazing! Android doesnt even come close!

B: U stil gotta pay RM 100 a month for the line. How much u spend on phone a month normally? RM 30? RM 40? Why u wanna pay extra so much for something u not going to use?

H: Its THE gadget to get nowadays! Besides, there must be a solid reason why everyone around u is pestering to get 愛phone right?

B: 愛 phone 5 is just around the corner. No point buying the 4 now. It will be obsolete very soon. Forget it.

H: Rumor says september but this is Bolehland! Bolehland is never given priority in Apple roadmap! It may take a whole year to reach this part of the world! Better just buy it now.

B: Cheh! Ur always at home wut...home and office already have WIFI for u to online 24 hours. I don't see the urgent need to get connected whenever u are out. Cos ur seldom out there. And give me a break! U don't even call people!! 愛 for what?

H: ......

The story of Threadfin 馬友魚的故事

2011-04-03T23:16:00.001+08:00

While having dinner at a chinese restaurant last night with family, mum ordered threadfin a.k.a 馬友魚 as one of the dishes. The place was jam packed with families since it was weekend night. Even more scarier was that most of the tables was sit by at least 10 persons, kids included. Such big family feast....something I never get used to. I describe it as simply "messy affair". You know... the family members talking out their lungs about family politics, national issues debate, work related problems, while the children running around playing hide and seek and merry go-around.

I have to admit that I had never given second thought about what i put in my mouth most of the time, except for the calories intake, i guess. Example, try asking me to different this fish and that fish, this vegetable and that vegetable....i would most probably tell you they look almost the same, save for the more obvious ones :P

Threadfins are silvery grey perciform marine fish of the family Polynemidae in order Perciformes. Found in tropical to subtropical waters throughout the world, the threadfin family contains nine genera and 33 species. Threadfin has been used as a co-ingredient in creating Crab sticks. Treadfin are prized in restaurants because they are perfect for steaming, poaching and frying and are delicious when prepared Hawaiian, Oriental or European styles.

Apparently they are quite expensive too. The dish alone cost rm20 with the fish portion probably enough for 3 persons with average appetite. Really remind me of the chinese saying "吃米不知米貴“, literally means you don't know the price of the food you are ingesting. Well, to me it still tastes almost the same, hahaha....

Which bring to the question of ... Do u contribute part of your income for your family expenses? Things been getting more pricey year after year, hence family expenses would consequently be higher as well, just that your parents may choose to keep mum about it. Things will only get worse after GST implementation.

And by the way, have you paid your income tax? Just to remind that deadline is on 30 April for salaried workers. I just submitted mine. Too bad even after deducting everything I could, I still gotta pay to the gomen, bearing in mind that income tax in this country is much higher than even Singapore or Hong Kong. We are talking about difference of 23% vs 8%. So please dont overpay your taxes, and at the same time keep away from tax evasion, since the repercussion can be serious. One of my new goals would be : Zero tax post deduction for next year's assessment! :P

Hauled to court

2011-03-24T23:35:00.002+08:00

Just got a call from the jungle's court magistrate where i used to work last time to attend a court proceeding, so called "subpoena" . Was told that it is regarding an assault case which happened while i was working there. I guess probably to testify in the court or something. I had never ever step inside a court all my life so far. The jungle is in faraway land somemore...feel so lazy to go. I fear the attorneys might try to grill my balls or something lor..haiz. Or am I thinking too much? You know, seeing how the MACC lawyer performed in the famous Teoh Beng Hock case....What if the lawyer accuse me of lying and postulate the possibility of "the victim strangulated himself"?

May I choose to not attend? -..-

Ah Soh's story-finale

2011-03-07T12:18:00.001+08:00

Another sickly day. While I was coughing and balut-ing wantan in the room, suddenly someone open the door. Pung! There she is, appearing out of nowhere ali-baba style. It was just her and me, face to face. I immediately call in the next client, in case she try anything funny.

A middle-aged uncle came in. But she is still not budging. Damn..this technique doesnt seem to work anymore.

GET OUT!!!! I yelled. Poor uncle was shocked by my sudden scream. My bad. Didn't mean to induce heart attack on him..

”用不用這麼兇啊？” I heard her mumbling on her way out.

After 解決the uncle, its time to 解決 her once and for all! I gave a tinkle to the corporal officer. Efficient enough, the kancil police car came within few minutes. I greeted the corporal.

"Is that her?"

"Yup. The one in flowery dress sitting on the front row."

A policewoman approach her.

"Saya lapar..boleh belanja saya makan ah?" the psycho lady asked.

"Ya tentu boleh. Mari ikut saya, kita pergi makan!" the uniformed lady replied.

And so she was escorted out the lobby under the watchful eyes of a full audience. Even I felt paiseh cos the crowd was looking at me when I was talking to the corporal. I swear i even saw a few ladies laughed while trying to cover their mouth, though it was a pathetic effort since their mouth were just too big.

Apparently she tried to flee after stepped out of the entrance. But luckily the uniform team was able to capture her. Such drama. Such cunning psycho lady.

At noon i got a call from hospital bahagia. YES! She is finally safe and sound at her new playground...Adieu! May our path never crosses again in the future!

THE END

Psycho and Fearless

2011-02-26T15:41:00.003+08:00

Been sickly all day, but nothing beats the end of this historic day. There "she" is, sneaking into my room when the frontliner staffs were away. Sat across me, she point to her earthy-coloured feet impregnated with skin lesion. I kindly asked her to wait outside for her turn. Luckily the counter people was competent enough to refer her to the other room.

She came out of the consultation room. Still seated at the lobby. By this time everyone also know what she is up to. 4pm....5pm.....Her inertia was too great. Even if Hurricane Katrina were to blow away the whole workplace, her feets would still be firmly planted on the lobby floor. Like a snake preying on an earth rat, her eyes were staring intently for any signs of ME.

As my colleagues came to my room and left the door jar opened, talking about her, I heard something.

"Ah Soh, sudah pukul 5, office mau tutup. T sudah balik. U balik lah!"

"Ooi....Lu panggil saya Ah Soh? Saya masih sangat muda lagi leh! T masih di dalam lagi. Saya nampak dia di dalam!"

Colleagues were gathered around in my room, discussing whether to call the police. I hesitated for a while. But there really doesn't seem to have other viable alternative. She just wouldn't listen, even after just being warned not to stalk barely an hour ago.

Then she walked out of the lobby. Too bad its not only towards the entrance, but all the way towards my car under the shady tree! There she is again. Merry go around my car like fly lingering around a caramel custard!

Our patience were wearing thin. We have no choice but make the call. Shortly after, a kancil police car came in through the gate. As if sensing danger, she slowly retreat to the exit. As my colleague and I went out to explain the dire situation we were in, she spotted me! She came back!! Even while we were talking to the policeman! She is just getting out of control, or just FEARLESS!

Somehow the policemen were hesitant to send her way on the spot, instead ask us to call them again tomorrow if she continue to act the same, and that they will send her away to the rightful place she belongs. Well fine...who are we to argue with the mighty Kancil? the police car then escort her to the exit and out...i think all of us were breaking cold sweat at that moment.

To be continued...

After posting the stories in my fb, it seems i had found some ardent followers as well. Perhaps I could be a freelance writer if I ever change my career path one day. Well, who knows... :)

No signing on my ass-crack though :P

Bad romance 爛桃花

2011-02-19T00:21:00.003+08:00

The highlight of this year's CNY for me is none other than being harassed by a psycho lady at workplace on almost daily basis. In fact from my post on FB about she and her antics, I think i can almost write a script already!

(below are excerpts from FB post)

Jan 24

middle-aged psy lady who is sexily clad ask me to treat her lunch...of which i reply im fasting. Then shortly after ram into my room again asking for dinner treat...in and out my room multiple times...OMG!!! I wonder what is going thru her mind and I definitely dun need this type of 爛桃花 for CNY!!!

Jan 25

psy woman comes back again with a vengeance! Throw me a bag of chinese herbs for bou leong char??? Despite i refusing by saying i dun drink herbal drinks and even if i do, my wife will prepare for me, she still insist to pass the package to me!

Today wearing a thin cooling shirt with white lace and BRA-less!! Still waiting outside at lunch hour!! CIS!!!

(The wife part is a lie to drive her off...obviously it didnt work from what happened after that)

Jan 26

she's here again...62yo psy lady..."accidentally" threw away one of her document, asking to get another copy...dressed like a secretary today. Just when i thought she would behave herself abit, suddenly she says:

"I just bought your car plate number!"

"Thats not my car"

"It doesn't matter" (smiling sheepishly)

*pengsan!!*

Feb 1

"can u treat me ice-cream today?"

"sorry mam...im working" *sweat*

psy auntie gone out a while but the relief was short lived. She came back shortly, asking the same question again. Of which i try to dodge by immediately calling the next client in. Pheww!

*double sweat*

Cant help but notice her cyan green blouse and flowery pink skirt. I believe the 'putik putik papaya' which are so obvious on her cyan shirt would be eye candies for the uncles outside. But pluueasee don't pollute my eyes right before CNY lar...i need to cuci mata with daun limau oledi!!

*triple sweat*

Feb 16

Really gotta be impressed by the psy auntie tactics. Today barged into my room asking me to read a letter. Apparently her house tax or something. "ngo kuai chi meh..ask your neighbour lah!" Luckily not love letter! Then hand in a 100 USD note asking for change! "halo auntie ngo hou kong geh..mou chin geh..! Please go to the bank to exchange your money"

Too bad she seem unable to understand plain cantonese and keep asking to change for her! And the best part is she do all these while leaving the shirt buttons on her breast valley open! Damn gerli!! Sei bin tai poh!! Hooi sei Lah!!

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She is really becoming a nuisance nowadays, and always seems to target me! Cis!! But the bad thing is she is still considered harmless for us to have solid reason to send her off to Hospital Bahagia! Really dunno what to do with her already...haih!

Prosperity 2011

2011-02-06T03:58:00.000+08:00

Happy Chinese New Year everyone! Gong Xi Fatt Cai! How has your CNY celebration been? The impulsive gobbling of fatty food? The incessant grilling on topic of relationship by your lovely relatives? Abundance of cash-rich ang-pao? Reunion and gathering among friends and relatives?

I started the new year with bouts of persistent cough, flu and sorethroat, still not fully recovered even now. Yet here i am, munching on bak-kua 3am in the morning, jostled up from sleep by feeling of hunger! Hopeless, i know. As if the starting of the year with sickness isn't bad enough, i was harassed at workplace the week right before my CNY leave, just call it Bad-Romance 爛桃花! The story of Bad Romance is already onto its chapter 4 in my facebook! I hope there would not be any more continuation of this mess!

This year's CNY been a little different from the lasts, for me. First of all, my household usher in the new year with the arrival of new pets! They are a few fishes, tortoises and a nasty little puppy who always like to pee on the floor of my room. Ish! Ironically no rabbits. Then, this year so far there has not been any dreaded relative visits, so far! Ahh...no more answering the same questions year after year after year! Such a relief!

Today I actually attended a ex-classmates reunion. The special thing about it is that, its a Standard 6 ex-classmate gatherings and I being so low profile, havent been to any such gathering for the longest time i could remember. Some of the familiar faces I actually havent seen them in like .... 16 years? Yet everybody seem to have stay pretty much the same, except one or two who gained some weight :P

Prior to the event i was quite hesitant to go since already lost touch with them for aeons but in the end i guess it was not as bad as i thought.

Hopefully I could get a sound sleep now after the fatty midnight meal. Its the 4th day of CNY today, but how come I feel like its coming to an end already? The mere thought of going back to work is killing me!

Have a prosperous and bountiful Chinese New Year :)

Memoirs of 2010

2010-12-31T09:23:00.000+08:00

I realized the blog has been deserted for quite some time. Combination of being busy with work and weekend getaways and plain laziness...what to do? And not to mention the lack of inspiration from recent bouts of mood swing. But im getting better now, no worry.

Hmm... so fast it has came to the end of year 2010! I remembered I actually had written a memoir of 2009, 1 year prior to today. So I guess its good idea to do a review for this year in similar fashion. Sometimes only when you glance back at your past, do u realize how far you have come, and from here chart the next goal in life, right?

The major milestone this year is non other than having found my very own place. I like the contemporary house design, the location which is near to city center, the excellent accessibility and of course, the affordable price. Granted its not located in the Greater KL at all, where house prices skyrocketing like no tomorrow, well at least I have a roof above my head now :)

In terms of work, I actually migrated twice this year! From the far away land to stud-land to hometown now. I miss the tantalizing fried rice and wanton mee in far away land, miss the springy lou-shu-fan and claypot chicken rice in stud-land! So far I havent found better alternatives here lor...Otherwise job scope has been pretty much redundant and its like sucking my life force little by little everyday. On the other hand I have been in this line for too long that it would take massive willpower and a fat bank account to even consider switching to another career...not to mention wasting all the time, effort and money sacrificed. The more I think about it the more depressed I get, hence the mood swings...

Some people say im money-minded. I don't mind to be labelled as such LOL. Its just that people crave for what they do not have, right? :P But of course im not the type who would do anything for money either. This year's finance didn't grow much but its ok. Started researching and investing in shares. What about gold rush? Gold prices been steadily climbing up these few years. People are afraid of potential financial apocalypse brought about by fiat money, seeing how the western governments printing money out of thin air, the massive bailouts, the things happening in Greece and Ireland etc. Hence, they park their money in gold. Erm..still learning so didn't participate in it yet. I think gold is not as foolproof as it was claimed to be. Avoided mutual funds like plaque since got burnt in it previously. Also, bought personal insurance lately. In order to keep the premiums low and more coverage, insurance companies are promoting packages where the amount insured is getting abit ridiculous, i think. Imagine you pay thousands every year but when you died, your life is only worth the measly RM 80K? To think that your life is worth less than the midget Toyota Vios...sad isn't it?

How do your friends perceive you? I had someone commented that I am not versatile enough. Before you mind drifts further, I like to reiterate that what he meant was that I am not flexible enough in thinking. Open up your mind and you might see things in different perspective. I am tying myself up in various ways according to him. Well, I guess he has his reason for saying so and I should take it as a constructive criticism. I always teased him in return as in "I know you are definitely 'versatile' enough..." Bad me...LOL. Some say im sarcastic. But I think im not in real life lor. Haha..

Lazy to write more...so how has your 2010 been? I would like to hear your stories too!

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2011! :)

On giving Face "面子是別人給的"

2010-12-05T00:00:00.001+08:00

Today I met the ex-schoolmate cum insurance salesman again. Prior to this, he already sent me a few quotations and given me his probably well-intentioned recommendations. Too bad I have already make up my mind of what I wanted, precisely.

Never mind that he kept sending quotations of additional insurance benefits and riders which I did not request at all, bear in mind that I have informed him clearly of the kind of coverage I want in the first place. But there is something he said that irked me.

I guess he was expecting me to sign on the dotted line today after he presented the product write-up. But I didnt because I needed to check on certain detail on the term and conditions. Appeared flustered, he said I have been delaying for quite some time and the policy is not really that expensive.

I can understand if he is desperate to fulfill his monthly quota or for closing purposes. But certainly this cannot be the kind of customer service expected in the 21st century? Since this concerns cash that you have to fork out on a repetitive basis, surely you cannot be too careful with all those wickedly written terms and conditions? Is it not the right of the client to fully understand the policy before signing up? Are you prepared to be sued by your client later on because you did not explain clearly the policy or you did not bother to clear up whatever doubts your clients have in their mind?

That was what I answered him, but of course in a less sarcastic manner... Like the chinese saying "面子是别人给的，脸是自己丢的" meaning respect or honour towards you is granted by others (sorry I do not know better way of translating this). Something similar happened while I was applying for housing loan whereby the salesgirl was busy hardselling and urging me to sign up without bothering to explain her product details. Im not obligated to even listen to their persuasions, let alone to sign up their offer, do I?

Customers are not always right. On the other hand, it is wrong to enforce your personal biased perspective on your clients. Let them do their own informed decision. At least they won't blame you if things do not go their way.

Ohh..and the expensive or cheap part? Thats my call to decide, im afraid :)

Happy Sunday everyone!

Sunshine where art thou?

2010-11-20T11:56:00.001+08:00

Have you ever wake up on a weekend morning but just don't feel like doing anything at all? Not the type that you actually enjoying the morning by lying lazily on your cosy bed, but the type that you painted the world so bleak eventhough the birds are chirping gayly as usual?

The breakfast doesn't taste nice. The family companion seem unexciting. You don't know what to expect. There is nothing encouraging in your mailbox either. The internet seems slower than usual. Everything just don't feel right. And somehow...you have no idea why...

I don't like this feeling...how to get rid of this?

Insurance. Have you done your homework?

2010-11-16T20:22:00.002+08:00

Most people my age would have owned at least one or two insurance policies, whether sold by walk-in agents or their relatives/friends working as agents. Not me. Why? Simply because I never knew the value of insurance prior to this. Too young, too early. And I don't have kids, or never will..LOL

Not that I had never encounter near-death situations in my life before. In fact, there were quite a few. Considering this, I gave insurance a deeper thought recently when my ex-classmate tried to persuade me to buy policy from him...oh well..

As with any other big item purchases or redundant payments eg mortgage/insurance, I think its always good to do some homework before jump into the bandwagon. At least you don't get coaxed into unnecessary expenses or simply get conned by unscrupulous people.

So here im just going to share some information I found off the net regarding insurance. As usual, do your own homework and research. Isn't it ironic that we deal with money matters everyday and yet our education system never teach us about money? :D

Life insurance. The general overview.

Types of insurance benefits

Traditional insurance VS Investment-linked

Term or Whole-life?

More on TERM

After checking out the sites, I guess I roughly know what plan is more suitable for me now. Im sure you would too. There is no such thing as the best policy, only the one that suits you most :)

Btw, women can insure their boobs and legs...

What about men then? LOL..

Happy holiday and Selamat Hari Raya Haji to those not working tomorrow! Cheers!

Mid life crisis/Herd mentality

2010-10-30T11:40:00.003+08:00

Perhaps no one would even noticed, I have been absent from the blogsphere for almost 3 weeks now. As someone pointed out, I might be experiencing whats called the "mid-life crisis". Passing the quarter-a-century mark, anyone would be thinking im talking crap, too early for all those symptoms of hair loss, poor sleep, increasing life liabilities, declining libidos...

Rest assured I have yet to experience those stages of life. But I guess I am in fact, undergoing the process in a mental perspective. Questions like where to go from here...what am I doing...am I walking on a correct path...Get what I mean? And to tell you the truth, its certainly not easy to ignore the "herd" mentality and go against what most of your peers are doing or directions they are heading. You will feel inferior when they brag about their newly purchased luxurious gated and guarded castles, or that sparking new car, their marriage, newborn etc...its only natural to feel that way, i guess. Unless of course, you know EXACTLY what you are doing is indeed SUITABLE for you and you only, not betting an eyelid to other people's perceived IDEALS.

In the article entitled "Consensus decision making in human crowds" published in the current issue of Animal Behavior Journal, it sheds light on a behavior that is consistent among many species – that is, making decisions based upon the actions of others.

Scientists at the University of Leeds believe they may have found why humans flock like sheep and birds, subconsciously following a minority of individuals. Researchers discovered that it takes a minority of just five per cent to influence a crowd’s direction – and that the other 95 per cent follow without realizing it.

Professor Krause, with PhD student John Dyer, conducted a series of experiments where groups of people were asked to walk randomly around a large hall. Within the group, a select few received more detailed information about where to walk. Participants were not allowed to communicate with one another but had to stay within arms length of another person.

The findings show that in all cases, the ‘informed individuals’ were followed by others in the crowd, forming a self-organizing, snake-like structure.

“We’ve all been in situations where we get swept along by the crowd,” says Professor Krause. “But what’s interesting about this research is that our participants ended up making a consensus decision despite the fact that they weren’t allowed to talk or gesture to one another. In most cases the participants didn’t realize they were being led by others.”

Other experiments in the study used groups of different sizes, with different ratios of ‘informed individuals’. The research findings show that as the number of people in a crowd increases, the number of informed individuals decreases. In large crowds of 200 or more, five per cent of the group is enough to influence the direction in which it travels.

In the stock market, many inexperienced investors lose millions or even bankrupt because they buy shares based on hearsay and what other people are buying, without making their own informed judgement. They followed their generous neighbour/colleague/friends recommendations on some supposed "hot stocks" of the moment, not realizing that the "hot" period is in fact already passed. Hence they bought at peak price and have no choice but to brace ahead for the impending avalanche.

People say, sometimes free advice are in fact the most costly! And so, some practice the contrarian approach in shares, of course with much research done on their intended investment prior. SO how does this apply onto our own life?

Are we the 5% who influences the crowd's direction? OR are we the remaining 95% who follow the trend without even realizing it? The decisions we make everyday...from the kind of food we are consuming (think fast food)...to our spending behaviour (buying on credit card for that extra "classy touch")...to our future career path (to follow blindly what others are pursuing?)...to the latest fad (the luxurious iPhone anyone?)....

Which are you? :)

Sundae sunday

2010-10-03T09:23:00.000+08:00

And here I am, siting in a cubical room surrounded by yellow-colored walls, on a beautiful sunday morning. I heard raindrops outside my window panes while sleeping last night. Supposed to be able to sleep soundly, but apparently I didn't.

Gonna lock my ass on the chair for half day today. My first time doing overtime since started working. Well why would anyone wanna sacrifice their beautiful sunday for working, if not for the pennies? I don't really actually. Not that I don't have use for the extra dollars, just that I am far from a hardworking employee. :)

Since I don't have any pending dates or plans at all, might as well earn some extra money for the rainy days. Not that I actually enjoy spending sundays in such manner. So how are you spending your weekend away?

Rather than lying seductively like this guy above, I think I will look more like this later after work!

The mind boggling maths of mortgages

2010-09-18T11:10:00.004+08:00

To learn mathematics is one of the core priority at school, and rightly so. You are bound to use your head to calculate whenever you make any purchases. The all-important gift to your love ones, the nasi bungkus for your lunch, the spanking new car parked at the porch, down to mortgages. The more expensive the item is, the more difference of 1% makes out to be!

Recognizing the fact that yours truly is not equipped with any advanced math or financial know-hows, I pore over the net for 2 nights trying to absorb as much as I can regarding mortgage. From MRTA vs MLTA, fixed rate VS floating rate, flexi VS non flexi, prepayment, early settlement penalty and other mortgage jargons to crucial questions to ask when meeting the loan officers. So as to appear less ignorant and dimwitted :P

If you are looking for the ideal housing loan, these are some of the points you might want to consider. Low interest rate is just one end of the whole spectrum. There are numerous articles online but this is sort of a summary I drawn from them.

Interest to be calculated based on daily rest
Most banks nowadays should offer daily rest instead of monthly rest. Daily rest means your total loan amount is deducted everyday, each time you made fresh installment or extra payment. As such you get to save on interest payment.

Allow to pay as much as you like (above minimal installment)
Its good to be able to pay more than the minimal required each month if you have extra cash and dont know where to put. You get to save on total interest paid or shorten your overall tenure. Alternately, you can just deposit into my account too! :P

Some banks offer housing loan paired with a current account. So you get to redraw your extra money anytime you like for your other commitments or emergencies. Also, it helps to offset part of your interest incurred. But some banks will charge RM 10 every month for the current account. Always ask for the fine details!

Allow to pay as often as you like
Goes without saying the more often you put in money, the faster you settle your loan and save on interest.

No hidden charges or fees
Ask whether any additional charges apply. Need to pay bank loan processing fee or not. Several banks I asked offer redrawal facilities that will charge you RM50 per transaction.

Low interest rate
Obviously.. see latest BLR of Malaysian banks here

Minimal lock-in period
Lock in period means the number of years your loan is being 'lock' to the bank. Most banks offer lock-in period of 3 years currently, but Maybank is 5 years. If you choose to fully settle your loan within the 3 or 5 years, you will be faced with early settlement penalty, ranging from 2-4% of your total loan. Most banks current penalty rate is 3%. Of course the shorter the lock-in period the better.

Also, demand the lock in period commencement on the first draw down date (the first time the bank disburses the payment to the developer for property under-construction.
So beware.

Easy accessibility and online payment
Must be easy to find the bank outlets, preferably with option of online payment. Surely you dont enjoy the hassle of spending time looking for parking, paying your parking ticket, risk getting summons just to pay the bank!

Competent and reliable customer service
First impression counts, at least for me. There is this petite lady from C**B bank who rattles abit on her housing loan interest rate, maximum loan amount/tenure then straight to documents required to apply loan. Either she is too desperate to go for lunch rather than explaining her product to me or she just can't be bothered. Well, i can't be bothered to ask more too, in view of unattractive rates and atrocious customer service :)

Well, thats about all I could gather on the ideal housing loan. Do share more if you have ideas or your experience!

Also, thanks to Koala for pointing out about fixed housing loan vs floating rate. BLR is currently at all time low and thus floating rate offers lower interest compare to fixed for now. Last I checked, its roughly 4.1% floating VS 4.85% Fixed. There is some discussion about the rising BLR which makes fixed loan much more attractive than before and the benefit is you know exactly how much you got to pay each month, rather than relying on BLR-X.

Historical BLR rates 1980 to 2005

So as you can see, there is a risk of you paying mortgage rate in excess of 10% when the BLR hits 12%. Over the last 20 years, there were 2 periods when the BLR peaks. Once during the 80s economic depression where lots of people "jump aeroplane" (going abroad to work due to unemployment) and the 1998 financial crisis. They dont happen very often but im not god so I cant predict how the trend will go from now. Personally I think the BLR will rise but probably not exponentially in the very near future given the uncertainty in our present economic climate.

So the question is Fixed or Floating? Frankly I don't know. It really depends on what you are planning to do with the house. Also, if you feel the interest rates are going up for most the time of your entire loan tenure, the fixed would be more suitable. My uneducated opinion is that:

If the house is for own stay and plan to settle the loan long term, saying 20-30 years. Go for fixed now to lock the lower interest offered currently.

If the house is for investment, go for floating. Take advantage of the 0% interest 1st year perks etc. Then sell it off shortly for a profit.

If the house is for own stay but you plan to settle loan within 10 years, then it doesn't make much difference between floating or fixed. But i would prefer floating for the sheer flexibility.

Just my humble opinion. What you think? Happy weekend from Bluey!!

Farming

2010-09-13T00:00:00.006+08:00

Freshly plucked jackfruit (nangka) from my garden. Well actually not MY garden essentially since im not the one taking care of it :P

See the whitish goo spewing out from the 'batang'? Yummy! LOL...

Im not a big fan of jackfruit myself. Do you know that despite the hardy shell it has, it actually becomes soft when its ripe? As in when you press the shell, the shell actually indents inside a little bit.

You want somemore? Here you go.

See how 'fertile' the jackfruit tree is! Yat dai cao dangling there! (A whole bunch dangling). Its kinda fun. I don't mean fun in things dangling, but its fun to pluck fruits with your bare hands on a fresh weekend morning :)

By the way, see the new header pic with sunlight-backlit leave? Its taken from the a ciku tree, right beside the jackfruit tree. That is how ciku leaves looks like. Sorry for the poor quality picture because I just snap with my phone. A little description on ciku:

The ciku fruits

The ciku tree is evergreen, has a conical crown and can grow up to 30 m in height. Its bark is light-grey and becomes fissured with age. The plant with all its parts has a white latex. Young twigs of the plant are covered in a woolly layer. Its leaves are spirally arranged, dark green and pointed. It has a stalk measuring between one to three cm. Ciku flowers are white, fragrant, solitary and bisexual. They have six free sepals in two whorls on the outside. The petals are joined in a corolla tube with six lobes and six stamens and six staminodes. The ovary is superior and it has a single style. The flowers remain open even at night. The major flowering period for sapodilla in Singapore is in the month of May. Ciku fruits are brown, round or oblong, with a thin skin. The flesh is sweet, soft and reddish-brown. The fruits have very few seeds in them that are hard, black, elongated, flattened and shiny.

Interesting right? :P

Sis Mary has been lamenting about her work again. She is tired of working and living in the big city apparently. Tired of demanding job, tired of horrendous traffic jams, tired of being lonely, tired of losing herself in the midst of it all, I supposed. Her plan is to resign some time next year and get some time off. Does that even constitute a plan? I would advise her to at least find another more suitable job before handling out the letter. Or she could startup some low cost business or something.

Im kinda fed up with my work too. Perhaps I should join her rank after another year of being cheap labour to the Malaysian gomen. Any low cost business idea, anyone? Gardening??? What would you do? Come shoot me with ideas!

Thuan Chye Responds to “Orang Cina Malaysia, apa lagi yang anda mahu?”(Utusan Malaysia article)

2010-09-09T06:17:00.002+08:00

This is too good to be missed. It portrays the exact sentiment of current Malaysian Chinese! Let us study it with an open mind. Article by Mr. Kee Thuan Chye.

Thuan Chye Responds to “Orang Cina Malaysia, apa lagi yang anda mahu?”(Utusan Malaysia article)

By Kee Thuan Chye

Every time the Barisan National gets less than the expected support from Chinese voters at an election, the question invariably pops up among the petty-minded: Why are the Chinese ungrateful?

So now, after the Hulu Selangor by-election, it’s not surprising to read in Utusan Malaysia a piece that asks: “Orang Cina Malaysia, apa lagi yang anda mahu?” (Trans. Chinese of Malaysia, what more do you want?) Normally, something intentionally provocative and propagandistic as this doesn’t deserve to be honored with a reply. But even though I’m fed up with such disruptive and ethnocentric polemics, this time I feel obliged to reply – partly because the article has also been published, in an English translation, in the Straits Times of Singapore. I wish to emphasize here that I am replying not as a Chinese Malaysian but, simply, as a Malaysian. Let me say at the outset that the Chinese have got nothing more than what any citizen should get. So to ask “what more” it is they want, is misguided. A correct question would be, “What do the Chinese want?”

All our lives, we Chinese have held to the belief that no one owes us a living. We have to work for it. Most of us have got where we are by the sweat of our brow, not by handouts or the policies of the government. We have come to expect nothing – not awards, not accolades, not gifts from official sources. (Let’s not lump in Datukships, that’s a different ball game.) We know that no Chinese who writes in the Chinese language will ever be bestowed the title of Sasterawan Negara, unlike in Singapore where the literatures of all the main language streams are recognized and honored with the Cultural Medallion, etc.

We have learned we can’t expect the government to grant us scholarships. Some will get those, but countless others won’t. We’ve learned to live with that and to work extra hard in order to support our children to attain higher education – because education is very important to us. We experience a lot of daily pressure to achieve that. Unfortunately, not many non-Chinese realise or understand that. In fact, many Chinese had no choice but to emigrate for the sake of their children’s further education. Or to accept scholarships from abroad, many from Singapore, which has inevitably led to a brain drain.

The writer of the Utusan article says the Chinese “account for most of the students” enrolled in “the best private colleges in Malaysia”. Even so, the Chinese still have to pay a lot of money to have their children study in these colleges. And to earn that money, the parents have to work very hard. The money does not fall from the sky.

The writer goes on to add: “The Malays can gain admission into only government-owned colleges of ordinary reputation.” That is utter nonsense. Some of these colleges are meant for the cream of the Malay crop of students and are endowed with the best facilities. They are given elite treatment.

The writer also fails to acknowledge that the Chinese are barred from being admitted to some of these colleges. As a result, the Chinese are forced to pay more money to go to private colleges. Furthermore, the Malays are also welcome to enroll in the private colleges, and many of them do. It’s, after all, a free enterprise.

Plain and simple reason

The writer claims that the Chinese live “in the lap of luxury” and lead lives that are “more than ordinary” whereas the Malays in Singapore , their minority-race counterparts there, lead “ordinary lives”. Such sweeping statements sound inane especially when they are not backed up by definitions of “lap of luxury” and “ordinary lives”. They sound hysterical, if not hilarious as well, when they are not backed up by evidence. It’s surprising that a national daily like Utusan Malaysia would publish something as idiosyncratic as that. And the Straits Times too.

The writer quotes from a survey that said eight of the 10 richest people in Malaysia are Chinese. Well, if these people are where they are, it must have also come from hard work and prudent business sense. Is that something to be faulted?

If the writer had said that some of them achieved greater wealth through being given crony privileges and lucrative contracts by the government, there might be a point, but even then, it would still take hard work and business acumen to secure success. Certainly, Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, who is one of the 10, would take exception if it were said that he has not worked hard and lacks business savvy. Most important, it should be noted that the eight Chinese tycoons mentioned in the survey represent but a minuscule percentage of the wider Chinese Malaysian population. To extrapolate that because eight Chinese are filthy rich, the rest of the Chinese must therefore live in the lap of luxury and lead more than ordinary lives would be a mockery of the truth. The writer has obviously not met the vast numbers of very poor Chinese.

The crux of the writer’s article is that the Chinese are not grateful to the government by not voting for Barisan National at the Hulu Selangor by-election. But this demonstrates the thinking of either a simple mind or a closed one.

Why did the Chinese by and large not vote for BN? Because it’s corrupt. Plain and simple. Let’s call a spade a spade. And BN showed how corrupt it was during the campaign by throwing bribes to the electorate, including baiting a Chinese school in Rasa by promising RM3 million should it wins the by-election.

The Chinese were not alone in seeing this corruption. The figures are unofficial but one could assume that at least 40 per cent of Malays and 45 per cent of Indians who voted against BN in that by-election also had their eyes open. So, what’s wrong with not supporting a government that is corrupt? If the government is corrupt, do we continue to support it?

To answer the question then, what do the Chinese want?

They want a government…

a. that is not corrupt;

b. that can govern well and proves to have done so;

c. that tells the truth rather than lies;

d. that follows the rule of law;

e. that upholds rather than abuses the country’s sacred institutions.

Because BN does not fit that description, the Chinese have learned not to vote for it. This is not what only the Chinese want. It is something every sensible Malaysian, regardless of race, wants. Is that something that is too difficult to understand?

Some people think that the government is to be equated with the country, and therefore if someone does not support the government, they are being disloyal to the country. This is a complete fallacy. BN is not Malaysia . It is merely a political coalition that is the government of the day. Rejecting BN is not rejecting the country.

A sense of belonging

Let’s be clear about this important distinction. In America, the people sometimes vote for the Democrats and sometimes for the Republicans. Voting against the one that is in government at the time is not considered disloyalty to the country.

By the same token, voting against UMNO is also voting against a party, not against a race. And if the Chinese or whoever criticize UMNO, they are criticizing the party; they are not criticizing Malays. It just happens that UMNO’s leaders are Malay.

It is time all Malaysians realized this so that we can once and for all dispel the confusion. Let us no longer confuse country with government. We can love our country and at the same time hate the government. It is perfectly all right.

I should add here what the Chinese don’t want:

a. We don’t want to be insulted,

b. We don’t want to be called pendatang

c. We don’t want to be told to be grateful for our citizenship.

We have been loyal citizens; we duly and dutifully pay taxes; we respect the country’s constitution and its institutions. Our forefathers came to this country many generations ago and helped it to prosper. We are continuing to contribute to the country’s growth and development.

Would anyone like to be disparaged, made to feel unwelcome or unwanted? For the benefit of the writer of the Utusan article, what MCA president Chua Soi Lek means when he says the MCA needs to be more vocal is that it needs to speak up whenever the Chinese community is disparaged? For too long, the MCA has not spoken up strongly enough when UMNO politicians and associates like Ahmad Ismail, Nasir Safar, Ahmad Noh and others before them insulted the Chinese and made them feel like they don’t belong. That’s why the Chinese have largely rejected the MCA. You see, the Chinese, like all human beings, want self-respect. And a sense of belonging in this country they call home. That is all the Chinese want, and has always wanted. Nothing more.

The Utusan Malaysia article: Orang Cina Malaysia , apa lagi yang anda mahu?

Dramatist and journalist Kee Thuan Chye is the author of ‘March 8: The Day Malaysia Woke Up’. He is a contributor to Free Malaysia Today.

"To sin by silence when we should protest makes cowards of people” - Emily Cox

"All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them" - Walt Disney

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p.s. Like to wish all Muslim readers Selamat Hari Raya and have a safe journey balik kampung! Happy holiday!

Giant leap begins with a small step

2010-09-05T12:22:00.002+08:00

Its no easy feat for all three of us to agree unanimously to something. That's me and my fastidious parents. But this one is pretty fast. Three visits was all it needed to sign on the dotted line for booking. Im surprised by their concerted taste, surprised by my own intrepidity.

The idea had actually been lingering in my mind for a year before finally settle on what I consider as attractive proposition. Its a natural thing to do anyway, sooner or later. What is more important than a roof above the head, a home sweet home?

*For illustration purpose*

On the other hand, this very milestone also marks the days when I have to start chomping on bread everyday...

Recap on a conversation in a park on a saturday morning:

Mum: The developer agent was quite a friendly guy. He agreed to the minor changes we requested at no extra cost. And he looks quite young too...

Bluey: Should be older than me right?

Mum: Of course la...He has worked abroad for years before coming back here...I think he is around 40+ years old...

Bluey: I thought you said he is young?

Mum: 40s not young meh? You also gonna be 30 soon lah...

*speechless...*

It felt like thousand needles piercing through my heart at the speed of bullet train.
我接受不到咯。。

:'(

Being unpopular

2010-08-29T21:45:00.001+08:00

Popular..

Popular...even before stripping for charity cause

Popular...albeit in a slightly kinky way..

Plain unpopular, unlikable..

It is always amusing to have lunch with a bunch of lady colleagues, especially when you are the only male around. Amusing.. because you just cannot fantom how on earth do they have so much topics to uncover every day, every meal. Their gossips can range from the latest fashions to office politics to cosmetics to guy friends/boyfriends to rival girls to travel to food to .... well, just about anything under the sun.

Their topic drifted to an ex-lady colleague who was working in another institution one day. "Siew Keong" was the nickname they have given her. (Siew Keong literally refers to cockroach in Cantonese, as in these pest are so difficult to extinguish).

"She....I just abhor her. She made me cried last time when we were working together. She...."

"Yeah, u know...she really knows how to protect herself all the time. Defense power grade A++. Pentagon should have hired her. Whenever there is these tedious work coming in, she will just have a way of making herself invisible to the naked eye."

"Not to mention she knows how to please the boss. Jilat the shoes until can use as mirror already..."

"Eh you know...her elder sister is also same type of people. She is called "Gat Zat" (another term for cockroach in Cantonese). I tell you, their evading techniques are to be reckoned with. You can't avoid them, you can't kill them. Indestructible species."

Well, coincidentally, this lady happens to be my ex-classmate too. She was one of the top students/top scorers in the school. Midget size. Coming from highly educated family. Both parents in education business. I always have this inferiority complex whenever I see her. Maybe because she is too smart. Maybe because she always mingle with the high achievers only. Maybe because im just not close to her. Its not pleasant to hear about these things about your ex classmates, eventhough we were not close.

I knew of one or two people who fulfill such criteria. Highly competitive. Smart. High achievers. Untainted school/work records. But somehow just not likable. No one wants to be in the room with them. No one wants to share a plate of Char Kuey Tiaw with them. Mere mention of their actual name spells taboo.

This got me thinking. Is it worth it? A case of high IQ, low EQ? If there is only one person saying so, then its probably a case of envious and jealousy. But when most people agree with it, doesn't it mean something? Sadly, most of the time they don't have the slightest idea what is going on. Or maybe that they just pretend it doesn't exist.

Have you come across such cases? Or do you have such people at your work?

I just hope I don't become the topic of discussion at another table elsewhere! At least not for the all the wrong reasons!

Question

2010-08-22T20:15:00.001+08:00

QUESTION

Between staying with your family and travel outstation on weekends (for leisures) AND staying outstations and visiting your parents on weekends/fortnightly. How would you choose?

IF you could find job opportunities in your hometown, would you still leave your hometown?

Appreciate your comments! Have a great start of the week :)

Meaning of Life (part 2)

2010-08-20T20:46:00.002+08:00

I have written something on this about one year ago, see here. Hence, the part 2. Wow...how time flies. It seems the older u get, the faster the sands of time seem to be seeping out from your hand. Scary thought huh? One year ago, i said that i will try to live the actual moment, not thinking too much of the past nor the future because life is too short to worry too much. Hmm...looking back the past year, I think i have made some progress :D

Saw this nifty video in facebook today. Well basically its a short video on what is the meaning of life. Here's the list:

Show up
Follow your heart..
FInd a new perspective
Have a sense of wonder
Find people you love..
Set goals
Help others
Dance
Pamper yourself
Face your fears..
Go to a museum
Exercise
Limit television (and internet) :P
Get in touch with nature
Lighten up
Get a good night's sleep
Read books
Get yourself flowers (or iPhone4) :P
Don't compare yourself to others
Don't beat yourself up
Be open to new ideas
Don't focus on negative thoughts..
..Focus on creating what you desire..
Make time just to have fun!
Keep the romance in your life
Make a gratitude list
Love your Mother Earth
Want what you have
Be true to yourself..

I find some of it rather corny but some are really true. Im just a boring guy, no good at all in pampering myself and in having loads of fun. Anyone can teach me how? :P

我一個人吃飯旅行到處走走停停, 也一個人看書寫信, 自己對話談心, 只是心又飄到了哪裡, 就連自己看也看不清..

Is this the solution to our traffic jams?

2010-08-16T08:51:00.001+08:00

Just come across this interesting innovation in public transport in cnet today, originally written by Victor Cheung. So after trains, LRTs, MRTs, and buses, now we are going to see a new type of "overhead bus" in China. According to its inventor, Song You Zhou (宋有洲), this bus is able to travel up to 80km/h, with carrying capacity of 1400 passengers. The new "bus" is green since it doesn't produce pollutant gases, and in fact it can generate its own power from solar. The cost of building one is only 10% of underground metro rail. According to reports, we will see the first overhead buses in Mentougou District, Beijing, in three years' time.

See video below for illustrations (in english) :

Interesting isn't it? Do u think it can work in our country? Everyone knows how sucky our public transport is.. :P

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My back is still aching. My legs are paralysed. Thanks to 1U, midvalley and gardens for providing plenty of walking spaces and for idling away my weekend. Didn't burn a big hole in my pocket, luckily. Time for my OSIM :P

Have a great start to the week, everyone~

男士不該愛美嗎 ? Men should not be vain?

2010-08-06T20:41:00.000+08:00

Nowadays not only women are chasing after the elixir of youth and beauty, men do too. And in fact, some of the men can even be more "aggressive" in their endeavour! Cosmetics, body workout, plastic surgery, botox injections and laser treatment...u name it, they have done it.

See for yourself. Warning: Please get a basin in front to collect either your vomitus or your saliva hehe...

Kevin in the video is already damn good looking and he still yearn to be more handsome by going under the needles and knife. This is just TOO MUCH!!! And his secondary school look and current look is like heaven and earth! TOO MUCH!!! He keep on saying its due to fierce competition in work, thus he need to look the part and go for all these things. Well i agree its advantageous to be good looking but this is just TOO MUCH!!! REALLY TOO MUCH!!!

Don above, on the other hand, is just outrageous IMHO. Plastic surgery since 22 years old? OMG....
His nose and chin reflects light like a mirror, as if its made of plastic and not bodily flesh. Just horrendous...

Are U the high maintenance type of person like them? Do u go for these rituals? Have u done any botch jobs on your body? Im definitely extreme low maintenance compare to these artificial gorgeous... :P

Plugs and Holes

2010-08-02T21:22:00.002+08:00

So many holes and so little plugs in place, how to be not leaky? In fact it probably has becoming spurts now rather than droplets..

This is in the news today.

"360 MEDICAL OFFICERS IN PUBLIC SERVICE RESIGN EACH YEAR"

"KUALA LUMPUR: An average of 360 medical officers in public service have resigned yearly since 2005, Deputy Health Minister Datuk Rosnah Rashid Shirlin said.

She said the ministry was aware of the number of resignations and was doing its best to retain the officers through various initiatives, including increasing the number of medical, dentistry and pharmacy graduates in the public service.

"As a result, the number of medical graduates attached to the ministry is expected to increase to 3,793 this year compared to 3,702 last year.

"The number of such graduates was 1,124 in 2006," she told Senator Pau Chiong Ung at the Dewan Negara here Monday......."

Now what is wrong with the above statement? Well the HOLES here obviously refers to the drain of medical officers and other medical professionals away from the country's public service. So now instead of sealing the holes one by one and thereby reducing the total number of holes, our big bosses up there think its better to create more plugs (increase the number of medical graduates every single year).

The obvious major disadvantage of this method is of course, U could only create so much plugs from time to time. Not to mention the faster u create these plugs, the worse quality these plugs are. No QC mah...like our Protongs. These plugs do not come cheap at all, mind u. We are talking about financing of at least RM 250,000 for each plugs. To produce these plugs, U gotta build more factories (universities and hospitals), which in turn cost millions. At the same time, the holes are getting more and more and bigger in diameter.

How do u stop the leaking when u have 10 holes and 5 plugs....? Im not just talking about medical professionals in the country, but the whole braindrain situation in the country.

It's a Monday morning

2010-07-26T12:51:00.000+08:00

OMG guess what i saw today?

Just back from breakfast with parents at Wah Pan coffee shop, one of the old-timer kopitiam in old town. As I walked in, something strikes my vision like popcorn. 3 chinese guys and 1 black guy. All of them were at least 1.8m in height. At least one head length taller than me lor. All of them wearing those sleeveless basketball shirts. They were looking for a table. I was looking at them. LOL. Well actually the crowd in the kopitiam were staring at them too. Overheard an auntie saying: "Wah gam gou geh kui dei? Zhan hai gou ohh!" Haha...since when there is NBA tournament here?

Good looking not withstanding, the sleeveless shirts reveal their lean and fit biceps, triceps and deltoid muscles. Could u blame the lady patrons checking them out? Imagine a handsome black guy having breakfast with Daniel Wu, Wu Chun and Wang Li Hom on a table! OMG~我接受不到咯~

Am i being jealous? Hell yeah I am! LOL...

Btw, I also saw Mohan, a local Indian artist who sang chinese songs last time, sitting at another table. Here's one of his MV:

What a extraordinary morning :D

Pigitization

2010-07-22T20:42:00.001+08:00

Been pretty busy lately to update anything here. Busy with pigitization..

Pigitization=process of becoming pig

I used to be a light sleeper. I get awaken by the slightest noise when i sleep. I still remember there was once during the uni days, my uni-mates and I were in Genting for weekend fun. The guys were all sleeping in one room. Some of the guys could not resist the urge to checkout and perhaps donate their money to the casino. Me being innocent and naive plus good boy (still is), didnt join them that night. When the guys came back around 3am and knock the door, I was the only one waking up to their call else they would have to sleep outside :P

But things has changed a bit lately. This week alone i had slept from 7am to 6am the next morning on 2 different days! Thats freaking 11 hours gone! The daily driving to and from workplace for 50km per journey must have really taken toll on me.

Good thing is I actually have much better quality sleep nowadays though :)

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p.s. Some female colleagues commented my FB pic look cute wor...OMG how did they find out when i didnt add them?? Im not syiok sendiri leh... pictures can be deceiving LOL..

Here u see, now u don't!

2010-07-18T08:13:00.004+08:00

The government money, that is....or more precisely, government coffers pumped in from its citizens.

"KUALA LUMPUR July 15 (Reuters) - Malaysia's government said on Thursday that it will hike fuel prices and sugar prices from Friday in a move that will save

750 million Malaysian ringgit ($234.6 million) a year."

"The readjustment of fuel and sugar prices are minimal compared to the proposals submitted because the government wants to balance between maintaining the people's interests and the need to manage the country's (budget) deficit," Prime Minister Najib Razak said in a statement."

AND so we malaysians are supposed to heed the government advice to tighten up our belts, reduce your meals from 4 times to 3 times a day, use our hyper-efficient public transport instead of buying own cars to save the petrol and environment. But at the same time the government needs people like u and me to support their Pro-tong industry, that is supposed to be our nation's pride. Not to forget pay our taxes in time and better still, forget or ignorant of actual amount of money that we are actually taxable for.

"KUALA LUMPUR: A total of 870,630 taxpayers overpaid their taxes by RM10bil in 2009, said Deputy Finance Minister Datuk Dr Awang Adek Hussein. He told Pendang Member of Parliement Datuk Dr Mohd Hayati Othman at the Dewan Rakyat that 838,644 taxpayers overpaid by RM8.6bil in 2008 while 654,606 taxpayers overpaid by RM5.4bil in 2007. Some 291,315 taxpayers overpaid by RM4.3bil in 2006.He said as of last year, the Inland Revenue Board had yet to refund 150,757 taxpayers. The board had also not sent refunds to 76,960 assessed in 2008 and 58,633 the year before. All tax payment would be kept in the Con solidated Fund, he said."

Cantik sekali hor?

Well of course u cant blame the gov for needing so much fund for its project expansions. Our jungle still have lots of room for sustainability of more white elephants mah...

"Whitoelephantizations"

"ON June 23, Domestic Trade, Cooperatives and Consumerism Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob outlined broad efforts to improve transparency and confront corruption, saying all reported cases will be fully investigated regardless of the position or status of those involved and that punishment will be swift and harsh. But before the policy can be fully implemented, there is the matter of the cost of building a new national palace for the country's sultans, which has doubled from RM400 million (US$124.2 million) to RM811 million since the contract was let – without bid - in 2006 under the premiership of Abdullah Ahmad Badawi, and may well triple, according to government insiders.

Well-placed sources in Kuala Lumpur told Asia Sentinel that the RM811mil figure is only preliminary. The total cost is actually nearing RM1.2 billion and is expected to go higher, the sources said.

Malaysia's seventh richest individual, Syed Mokhtar Al-Bukhary, secured the original contract at RM400 million but the costs escalated with the involvement of royalty in the venture.

The favouritism allegedly shown on the Istana contract presents a challenge for Najib, who has publicly vowed to clean out rent-seeking and preferential treatment in government-linked contracts in his campaign to clean up Umno's tattered reputation.

It was brought up in cabinet in December by an MCA minister. Minister in the prime minister's department Mohamed Nazri Abdul Aziz reportedly replied: "So what? It's the house of a Malay King, not a Chinese contractor." Needless to say, no one has brought it up since."

Tak cukup?

"DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang is demanding an explanation from the prime minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak on the allegations that the Bakun Dam project is suffering from cost overruns of around RM1.7 billion and on whether the government is looking for a bailout package for Sime Darby Berhad, said to be worth around RM700million. He said that Najib had so far evaded the questions on the issue since it was revealed that Sime Darby had chalked up losses amounting to almost RM1billion. Lim said “It has been reported that Sime Darby has incurred more than RM1 billion in cost overruns from carrying out a civil works contract for the hydroelectric project, with one estimate putting the total cost overruns at RM1.7 billion, which is almost the same size as Sime Darby’s actual Bakun contract of RM1.8 billion. It has also been reported that the government has agreed to reimburse around RM700 million to Sime Darby, leaving the group with around RM1 billion to deal with. Najib’s statement asking Sime Darby to determine the cause of its RM964 million losses first “before the issue of responsibility” was wrong as the RM964 million losses are only for the second half of the financial year of 2010. The figure was a “small portion” of the total losses of Sime Darby in its history of some RM3.5 billion write-offs, and with more to come.”

Of course these are not the only reasons why the gov need more money and cut subsidies. What about bailing out of failed GLCs projects? The billions of taxpayers money to fund JPA students who never come back to serve? PTPTN loan defaulters? The constant installing and uninstalling of the hideous looking items of decorations in our city, remember those plastic coconut trees that cost almost RM 10K a "tree"? As opposed to the normal coconut trees u can get for next to nothing from all the surrounding kampungs.

And the famous honeymoon trips for couples on the verge of divorce? So hor...if u want to go on a holiday but no budget, ask from the jabatan lah. Just pretend u and your spouse hate each other to death, then u will get your free tickets :)

"Whitoelephantizations"

In fact I think most of us knew but just couldn't be bothered because ultimately we see no hope at the end of the tunnel. We could only see our hard-earned money get sucked and burnt with our teary eyes.

AND then there is the famous saying again. Surely u would remember...

"U TAK SUKA, U KELUAR!"

Is this how our money allocations still being debated in the dewan? I wonder should I cry or laugh...

We still staying in this country because we love Malaysia. This is where we were born.

*This post is purely factual and not intended to raise any racial or political issues, directly or otherwise. Bluey is not really into politics because his mind is not complicated enough. So please don't misunderstand bluey's intention and send him to ISA...

p.s. Please be moderate in your comments too. I definitely dont want anything bad happen to u my beloved friends :)

One wrong turn

2010-07-06T22:15:00.000+08:00

Omg i can't believe im already late on the 2nd day of work at my new place! Well, i didn't do it intentionally or purposely want to slack off anyway...But it happened! And it has tarnished my reputation!!

In fact, I allocated extra time for the journey. U see, im used to traveling via the highway to my old workplace which is north-bound. Been traveling the same route again and again for one whole year. This morning as usual i drive and enter the highway. I still have extra time on my hand so i was happy. Then suddenly i realize i was in deepshit because i just took a wrong turn at the highway! Instead of heading south to KL, I went north to Penang direction, as i had done for the past one year!

I was like...oh my holy cow...sei loh kam chi...sure late for work already. Bad enough that there isn't a single U turn in sight, in the end I can only exit at Kuala Kangsar toll and make a U turn, which is a freaking 30+km away!! OMG...what have I done to deserve this?? Wasted my time and petrol!! Traveled extra 70 km for nothing!! Not to mention I was still 15 minutes late despite sprinting on the highway like a madman!

Make a wrong turn and it makes all the difference!

Farewell to Far Away Land

2010-07-03T09:23:00.002+08:00

And so the day to bid farewell to this Far Away Land has come. How far u asked? Well, not as far as SimonLover's Far-far Away Land but let the pictures tell u.

Don't you wish your LDP is like my LDP?

Road leading to Far-away Land is surrounded by all things green and leafy. Traversing mountains after mountains.

The tiny town which still look very much 1980s smacked right in the middle of jungle.

Thanks for my staffs for all your kindness and cooperation all these time. Thank you for your homecooked nasi pulut durian and chicken rice...I shall miss the good things and leave aside the not-so-good things ever happened here.

Nasi Pulut Durian with santan - a malay kampong dish as authentic as u can get.

And for your sponsored durian feast.

So bye-bye Faraway Land and hello Stud Land! oopss..i mean Student Land! I look forward to more enticing life experience there!

=======================================================================

I actually started this blog right after i came to Faraway Land. Now that im leaving this place, is it a good time to draw curtain for this blog as well?

Have a great weekend ahead ya :)

Share your sorrows

2010-07-01T13:00:00.002+08:00

Excerpt from Yahoo News:
S.Korean star found dead in apparent suicide

SEOUL (AFP) – A South Korean actor and singer who rode the wave of Korean pop culture in Asia was found dead at his home in Seoul Wednesday in an apparent suicide, police said.

Park Yong-Ha, 33, was found in his room by his mother after he apparently hanged himself with an electrical cord, Yonhap news agency said, quoting his brother-in-law, Kim Jae-Hyeong.

"No suicide note was found. Let's pray for him to rest in peace," Kim was quoted as saying.

Park spent his last moments Tuesday night with his father, who is suffering from cancer, Yonhap said.

He reportedly massaged his father for a long while before leaving with the words: "I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

Park shot to fame through the 2002 hit television drama series "Winter Sonata" and won fans in Japan and other Asian countries. He also released albums as a singer.

He had been chosen for the leading role in a Korean TV drama, a remake of the popular 1996 Hong Kong film "Comrades, Almost a Love Story". Shooting was set to begin in July.

Park was deeply anguished by his father's illness and was also suffering financial difficulties as an entertainment agency he set up in February struggled to make money, Yonhap said.

Park's Japanese site crashed temporarily due to overwhelming traffic, it said, adding he was scheduled to fly to Japan on Thursday as part of an ongoing concert tour with his new album "Stars".

If confirmed, Park would be the latest of a number of South Korean entertainers to kill themselves. They include top movie actress Lee Eun-Joo who committed suicide in 2005 and Choi Jin-Sil who died in 2008.

Suicide is the highest cause of death among those in their 20s and 30s in South Korea, which in 2007 had the highest suicide rate among members of the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development.

The health ministry says 23.9 in every 100,000 South Koreans committed suicide in 2007, compared with 19.4 in Japan, 16.7 in Finland, 14.2 in France and 14.0 in Switzerland."

I have always wonder what is it with the koreans that they like to commit suicide so much? What are they thinking right before they made the final decision? In this case, wouldn't leaving the father with cancer and grieving mother do more harm, instead of helping the family members to go through this difficult period? Looking at the names of those committed, it seems u are at high risk if u :

-have korean blood in you

-high profile people eg politicians, celebrities

-done some nose job, facelift, breast augmentation etc (just look at those korean stars)

-possess good looks minus a high EQ probably

So handsome, tall, perhaps talented, yet such a shame... Or perhaps these are the very attributes contributing to suicide? I have no idea since i do not belong to the handsome group. But whatever it is, talk it out and share your grievance or problems with your family and friends. What we thought as dead end might just be an opportunity in another person's eye. No point wallowing in self-pity because happiness are meant to be shared, so do sorrows...

U are AMAZING!

2010-06-29T15:20:00.002+08:00

just thought this short video is too sweet and meaningful to be kept in the dark. Enjoy!

Have I told u how amazing u have been to live on until today? : )

Just like this amazing double circular rainbows spotted above Ipoh Railway Station..

Quality not so good cos taken with my mobile. Seen anything like this?

Shot no 2

Halo of rainbow surrounding the sun in broad daylight.

Did i say ur AMAZING to encounter this blog? :P

Why its a good idea to clean your hand after handshake

2010-06-23T12:54:00.001+08:00

Especially if the person u shaked hand with is a guy! U see, there was countless times when i was in the staff washroom and notice that alot of the guys actually never wash their hands after their 'business' in the toilet...

Imagine what kind of germs he is transmitting to u through the handshake, after he touched the dirty water hose/pipes, his jewel and perhaps his ass after "big business" AND NEVER wash his hand! And u never know what other "business" they actually do in the toilet when they are horny! Pretty disgusting isnt it?

So always remember to use a handrub or hand sanitizer after u shake hands with a guy. No comment about ladies since i never went inside a ladies' room. But I guess they don't have a jewel to touch every time they pee, right?

Btw, at least the advice given in this toilet humour is correct, its wipe front to back and not back to front. Anyone knows why? :P

insensitive me? im money freak?

2010-06-15T16:57:00.000+08:00

Normally after a trip together with your friends, how would u settle the accomodation/petrol/tolls etc expenses? I think the usual methods would be either divide equally or someone pay for something eg. food/petrol/toll. Correct me if im wrong. Unless ur my other half, then okla i dont mind probably :P

Apparently this friend felt weird when i asked her for then above expenditures. All the while she thought no need to pay since i never said anything before that wor.

Somemore SMSes i received:

"I guess to you friends are friends. Money is a different story altogether"

"U can get a gazillion dollars in a life time but u can never buy love, sincerity and happiness"

"U berkira alot lor...sometimes money isnt all that matters.....u dont bother what i think also lor..."

"I dont know what to say sometimes. Maybe i expected more from u"

"One thing U must know is sometimes u must be open and have a reachable heart and learn to accept what others say also"

"U always so defensive..waiting to pounce back..so u want me to accept that u are a money freak?

"U are always running away.. Not everything u can forget about it cos the problem will always be there. So u want me to accept u as a money freak is that what ur saying?"

Seriously, I think girls are probably the most complicated thing ever exists in this universe. U think i would give a damn about the little pennies? Isn't that how people usually settle the expenses? How did this become so complicated? Im just a simple guy with a simple mind. No point preaching to me with your ungodly life philosophies. Because I simply cannot understand nor do i give a shit about it. Any wonder why i always run away from girls? They are ****ing troublesome! Well, most of them anyway...

Ok im done ranting.

Weekend Getaway 2

2010-06-12T15:16:00.001+08:00

The beginning of a nice weekend getaway...stuck in the highway... what a great start! Apparently a car crash and burn on the highway. Sampat Malaysians stopped and watched causing the traffic jam, as usual. Bad habits die hard.

Suddenly we took a wrong turn at the highway near KL and ended up landing in the middle of KL traffic jam! I was cursing and mumbling... cant help it LOL

Oh god..finally after 4 hours journey... reached our destination at last! This is where we stayed for the short trip. A nice little cosy old-shoplot turned inn called Tang's house. Clean environment and convenient location. Friendly tauke-soh too. Just the room abit too small...nothing I cannot tahan though. I like their old style interior deco and renovations, feels like those olden times "hak zhan".

What better way to cool down the body than a delicious bowl of cendol? Many favours and long queue too...Not much people on weekdays however. But weekdays there is no night market so better to visit during the weekends where its choked full of cars and people.

The "Batt Bo" cendol, sago cendol and durian cendol. I like Batt Bo the best. Get more fillings and more worth the price :P

I like this pic a lot. The dazzling sunlight makes interesting silhouette on the building. Light and shadows always co-exist, just like yin and yang, goodness and evil :)

I thought this scene was interesting. Rather than working, doesn't the peddler looks like he is dating the old lady? Hehe...so romantic hor :P

This city is not famous for Dimsum but we tried anyway. Very near to the inn. The one like a pointy head is special with otak-otak filling inside the fishball. In the center is fried yam, instead of the usual wanton.

Nadeje, the origin of Mille Crepe@Megamall. Or so they claim to be. Yes its nice. Different texture from the usual cakes because there is many layers. Taste quite cheesy. No wonder my pants also feel tighter after the trip :P

We took the river cruise at night. Nothing much spectacular to see. But the night breeze is nice. Seen here facing the Eye on Malaysia. Pardon for the poor quality night shot. Anyone wanna sponsor me a dSLR?

"Woh Kei" chicken rice balls. Look at the queue! Like the meal is free no need to pay like that. Nice building. The rice is just like the hainan chicken rice, just compressed into balls only. Compressed balls...sound abit salah here hehe... Coconut makes great combo with the balls!

Definitely cannot leave out Nyonya cooking la. Here is Restoran Peranakan with its beautiful deco. Even the menu book also so special. We were the last call because the restaurant was closing for the day. Lucky us. Ayam ponteh is so delicious. Tender chicken meat in the frothy gravy. Recommended!

This is Menara Taming Sara. A rotating observation deck in the middle of the city. We took a ride at night. Night view was nice but nothing extraordinary. Nevertheless its always nice to see little children scream their lungs out from fear of height right? :P

A large food court beside the Mahkota, cant remember the name. The Chee cheung fun was famous after it was shown on Hor Chiak!, the food review show. The noodle was coated with a thin layer of scrambled eggs. Very eggy feel. The chicken soup I ordered was nice, so thick with the yong-sam-sou flavour! Bet its been stewed for hours, very nice for RM5! Below left is steamed fish at Portuguese village. Nice but expensive too.

Pretty historical buildings seen around our inn. LW is the famous shop selling pineapple tarts. Below left is Geography Cafe, popular among the Caucasians. Jonker Boutique Hotel looks nice but way more expensive than our humble inn. Boh lui boh bian lar..

Freshly baked pineapple tarts just out of the oven! Are u salivating? Haha...Rm7 for a small box, quite expensive leh... They have 2 varieties, one is baked with butter like the one above, which is more soft and buttery. Another one is baked with margarine, which is crustier and coarser in nature.

Definitely cannot leave this out la...We passed by Capitol but so many people leh...This satay celup@Ban Lee Siang is nice too, at Jalan Ong Kim Wee. Less crowded but people coming non-stop also. Attentive waiters, nice food, reasonable price. What else to ask for?

Deep blue blue sky. Im feeling blue already! This is where we went, if you still have no idea :)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Let me go

2010-06-01T06:00:00.001+08:00

After the evening meeting, the boss handed me the letter. Finally! After all these ~~years~~ months! Well, one minute here does feel like forever :P

I take a good look at the letter. It states that my transfer application has been approved. The auspicious date is somewhere next month. I sighed with a sign of relieve. Hmm.. less than 1 more month to go... well, better than never. As she handed over the letter, she looked at me with kinda conflicting look on her face and said: "Congrats Bluey, u have got your transfer. But u have to wait until your replacement comes and report herself (yes, its a girl) AND actually start working before u can leave."

Ya right...as if I dont know that. And are u actually trying to curse me that the replacement will never come? Well, i bet it would do u good to just let me go and along the way accumulate some good karma. Am i being sarcastic here? Nah... In fact, i would probably miss your manhole-drilling-like high-pitched voice. Your husband has gotta be the luckiest man in the universe! :)

Yay! No more weekend oncalls (hopefully)! And my beloved replacement please come early ya? Even better if u could report yourself before the actual date. I bet she would love you to bits! If you want flawless skin and complexion without the SKII and other expensive stuffs, just come and work here!

The air and water here is even better than your filtered Diamond Water! Don't believe me? I got proof, u know? My face became coarse after just 1 week in Bangkok (I dont use any facial products) and guess what? The skin heal itself completely within days after im back working here! Miracle huh! And where else on earth do u get free meals, courtesy of your clients when u eat-out? Not to mention the free durian/rambutan/papaya/banana feast... Im sure simonlover would agree with me on this lor...

Am i doing hard-sell here? Nah... so quickly pack your things and come ya! As for me, I hope things will be smooth at the new place... Hmm...still not sure about the long term plan yet. What to do after this? Stay in gov service? Go private? Open own business? But I dont have any business background wor...

Wish me luck.

Wedding Day

2010-05-28T07:51:00.001+08:00

...not mine, of course. Lately must be a wedding and mating season cos i have been getting the red card non-stop. To go into marriage is like going into another phase of life, for the better or for the worse. Friends and colleagues are jumping into this bandwagon more and more frequently. Does it affect me emotionally? No, i think im numbed to the these things. Does it affect me financially? YES, im poorer each time i attended a wedding dinner ...sob...sob...

The wedding invitation cards one after another

Just went to my friend's wedding dinner last weekend, another one coming up next weekend. Besides the fact that u have to dish out your cash "angpau", one thing very suffering about the chinese wedding dinner is these singing exhibitionists lor...

Really have to give an applause or even standing ovation to these uncles and aunties for bringing the guests "entertainment". They just sing and sing their favourite karaoke songs on the stage, doesnt matter if their voice croaks like a frog...The whole night creating noise pollution across the hall until we the guests cant even hear what the person sitting beside speaking about. In fact i remember that night one of the uncles have to be "politely excused" from the stage by their relative. So malu loh....Me and my friends really beh tahan until we unable to finish the meals and gone Station One Cafe instead for some real singing performance :P

Then dont know fortunate or unfortunate, the first time im attending a wedding already asked to be the "hengtai" (something like a bestman). In fact before this i had no idea what the hengtai is supposed to do. Then only i found out they are supposed to protect the groom from the evil "zi mui"'s (bride's friends)'s attacks when fetching the bride from her house.

The evil bunch of zi mui waiting for our grand arrival. They are to sort of "prevent" the groom from entering the house and fetching the bride, unless the groom satisfy ALL of their conditions. Im wondering, where did all these customs come from anyway? Does it even exists say ... 100 years ago? Some really "wu liao" (nothing-better-to-do) people must have invented it along the way.

The "goodies" awaiting the hengtais...

We were asked to wear this flowery headband right after we descend from the car. Mind u, all of us were dressed so smartly that day. Asking us to wear this is so salah lo...However it didnt dampened our spirit even abit. In fact my friends and I started camwhoring with the headband, completely ignoring the zi muis lo LOL...

Next up even worse...we were asked to put on these disposable undies lo...each is written one word on it and we are supposed to line up to make a proper sentence. A bunch of handsome guys wearing paper undies lining up beside the road is not a good scene leh....again...so salah loh...

We were served these special breakfast...banana.... bitter guard... chilies...ginger...etc. We just give face and ate a bit lo...what to do since the girls "earnestly" prepare for us...I just take a bit of bitter guard with the banana...sweetness and bitterness together...neutralized lo...clever hor??

Then we have to blow some balloons and make something like a flower to the bride. But as u can see the end result is nothing short of spectacular lo...i dont even recognize what is it LOL. We also got to blow the balloons and get some piece of paper inside. So we the hengtais very compliant and blow the balloons until so big and purposely go near the zi muis to blow near them loh...hehe.

See the groom so cute hor...with his special white colour headband...he was sweating all the way...poor thing. The outside was so hot and he has to wear the suite somemore...

A roasted pig greeted us on the table near the door.... Why does chinese wedding needs a roasted pig leh? Anyone knows? So that the couple make many "piglets" later ka?

After a few more "mini games", its time for gate-crashing. See the bunch of yee-ma-gu-che, sam-gu-lok-po and the zi muis asking this and that...

See the zi mui counting the money...the groom have to prepare some stash of cash in order to be allowed to go into the house. Just like the credit card advertisement says "The entrance fee....RM1X100. Her expression...priceless.." LOL

Finally OPEN SESAME! Everyone also got tired abit...better settle it quick la...Its supposed to be just a game, not some torturing exercise mah...

Another view showing our beloved hengtai in their headband and paper undies. Look so ridiculous doesnt it? LOL...luckily no rabbit suit...

Well, it was fun nevertheless and i wish my couple friend forever loving and happy family. Luckily the ceremony didnt turn out too messy or excessive, or else it would marred the whole thing. I have heard some horror stories about the things being dished out for the hengtais...Have u encounter such horrible reception?

p.s. visitor to this blog been plunging to the sea bottom since i was forced to change to this new address. But i guess u would come back if u like my writings, right? :P

p.p.s Happy Wesak everyone and have a good rest!

Expired?

2010-05-22T08:17:00.000+08:00

Wake up this morning to the tune of dribbling waters outside my window. Too bad i cant sleep on such nice weather. Too used to waking up early morning.

Bored, i switched on the laptop and come to checkout the blogs. Then to my horror, my blogsite seem to fail to load at all. Apparently there should still be 1 week left before renewal for my private blog address...Haiz...

Anyway, kindly point ur browser to www.bluesoule.blogspot.com and bookmark this new address. Thanks! Happy Saturday!

Weekend Getaway

2010-05-21T10:28:00.001+08:00

Masjid Kapitan tower overlooking the blue sky

Frontage of Masjid Kapitan

One of the Chinese Temple-forgot the name..very old building with a central court

Roof decorations

Purposely make it black-and-white to get more "feel" :)

Prewar shophouses with narrow lane in between

A narrow corridor leading to Khoo Kongsi. I like the contrasting blue hue and shadows.

An ancient chinese architecture with intricate carvings and interior deco. Khoo kongsi.

Hungry turtles grabbing their meal. I have never seen such active turtles haha..

The new giant Kuan Yin statue on top. Visible from afar but nothing special though...Have to spend rm4 to use the mini-elevator to reach there somemore..

A pavilion with a pool of koi fish. The fishes swim towards my direction when i stand near the pool. Im soo.. attractive even the fishes cannot tahan my power of seduction lo..LOL

Very detailed wall graffiti..

Looks like a vase with some evil power sealed inside hahah...

Curse of the Golden Flower.. I still remember the movie poster...

So much golden blings in the movie to portray the abundance and prosperity of old China dynasty. And yet their empress doesn't have enough fabric to make a proper size bra?? See how tight Gong Li's boobs were squeezed until going to explode!! Poor thing...

Delicious Assam Laksa. The broth is so thick with fish meat! Simply heavenly!

Koay Tiao Thng. The soup is nice but innards is not my cup of tea la..

Fried Cintan Mee. Super nice!

Fried Jawa Mee. My first time trying a fried version. Not bad at all.

Koay Chap. Nice broth but again pork stomach i dun like..

Pancake with tuna and crabstick fillings. Refreshing!

"Wu Tao Gou" (Yam cake) @ New World Park. Best one i tasted so far. Literally melts in your mouth! The prawn is sliced so thinly. Very soft and fine texture indeed.

"Zap Guo Bing" (Iced Mixed Fruit?). Abit expensive by Penang standard but the perfect elixir for the hot weather!

Saw this cat at nearby Pet shop. The fur is like leopard lo. I also wanna be like her cos its FRIDAY!

See..even THEY agree with me lo. Its time to take a BREAK!!

Enjoy ur weekend everyone!

Hotties

2010-05-15T06:00:00.001+08:00

These are my current favourite hotties! Muscular, bold outlook and curves at all the right places! I would be dying to get my hands on them!!! :P

FORD FIESTA

HYUNDAI ELANTRA

MADZA 3 (2010 model) (correction :P)

VOLKSWAGON PASSAT CC

What is your fav hotties then?

Don't cha wish your boyfriend was hot like me?

2010-05-09T06:00:00.001+08:00

Well im not, too bad. One morning while i was passing through a basketball field, i saw a bunch of middle age and old ladies doing their aerobic exercises there. And they were following a female leader, who is also an aunty, doing stunts. All the while the Don't-Cha song was playing loud in the background..

Now i dunno wat u think but IMHO the song is evil. Why? Just look at the lyrics!

Artist: Pussycat Dolls (Ft. Busta Rhymes)
Song: Don't Cha

Lyrics:

Baby
Ladies
Fellas
Are you ready?
Lets dance
Baby (ooooh)
I know you like me (I know you like me)
I know you do (I know you do)
Thats why whenever I come around
Shes all over you (shes all over you)
I know you want it (I know you want it)
Its easy to see (it's easy to see)
And in the back of your mind
I know you should be fucking me (babe)

refrain:
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was hot like me?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was a freak like me?
Don't cha
Don't cha
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was raw like me?
Don't cha wish your girlfriend was fun like me?
Don't cha
Don't cha

etc etc...

Isn't the lyrics suggesting the guy to dump the gf for another chick? And somemore the ladies were gyrating their hips to the tempo as if they dont know the content of the song. Now a bunch of old ladies dancing to this song is so SALAH lor...

*pengsan*

Bad publicity

2010-04-19T08:51:00.001+08:00

A friend of mine, K, has recently gone into a relationship. K's friends have been unsupportive of K's partner, saying that they don't match and it probably won't work. K was not able to find out the reason behind despite grilling the friends for further info. So now K was left in the lurch whether to trust his partner or to trust his friends.

I have never been in such situation before but i just try my best to give him my 2 cents. I asked him to check the facts again with his friends. What exactly do they mean? Surely there is something going on if a few friends saying the same thing right? If these friends really care about u, im sure they would reveal the real reason underneath.

I also asked him whether he knows any of his partner's friends. He could probably know more about the partner too from there. The past stories, the good points, bad points etc..
Last but not least, is to give himself more time to understand the partner since they are still pretty new in this relationship. There is no harm spending more time together to understand each other better.

And of course, there is other underhanded technique like checking the spouse's cellphone etc. But i would not recommend it simply because its invasion of individual privacy and u do not give due respect to the spouse (if the spouse is indeed clean).

Have u ever been in this shoe? How do u deal with these unwanted publicity of your spouse? Would u check on your spouse's cellphone or even msn?

Brotherly Love

2010-04-15T06:00:00.000+08:00

One afternoon my colleague and I was walking back to the office from lunch under the scorching sun. No choice-lah, i wanna burn off the excess calories from the meals mah otherwise my sparetyre will get bigger and bigger! So my poor colleague also have to suffer with me together. Luckily she got umbrella :P (Please dont blame me for the sun-tan eh?)

Anyway, there was a motorcycle cruising past beside us heading towards a nearby school. A lad was riding the bike while a young schoolboy was sitting behind. Fair skin, tad skinny, with a mischievous smile, I could recognize the little boy is the son of a nearby kopitiam tauke. The lad looks like his brother, around 18-20 years old.

The little boy was enveloping his brother's waist with his skinny arms. Legs dangling away from the seat. His head was resting firmly on the brother's back, facing our direction. We heard the elder brother saying "你可不可以不要抓得這麼緊啊？？" (Could U not grab me so tightly? The boy didnt say anything. He just smile from ear to ear with his devilish grin. The bike zoomed off leaving a dust of smoke. It was such a kawaii (cute) scene! My colleague and I laughed from the bottom of our heart. Too bad it happened in an instant and I didnt have time to capture on photo.

The lad probably doesn't know that in few years time, his little brother is gonna grow and this priceless moment might never happen again. How nice if i have a brother... elder bro who cares for me, younger bro whom i could pick on. hehe...

If only...

男人天生愛犯賤 Of being jerks

2010-04-09T12:10:00.001+08:00

犯賤 is a cantonese word. I dont really know how to translate into English. Anyone here can help? The best I could think of is "to bring something onto yourself" or "u asked for it".

In relationship matters, there are quite alot of 犯賤 scenarios.

First and most common, a couple together for some time, whether married or unmarried, then one or both of them feel the partner is not good enough or he/she just want some additional fun factor, so here comes hookups and 3rd party. Common enough, i would say. 犯賤 case number 1.

U have a good looking face or nice body or attractive personality. People flock to u like bees to flowers. Easily u can switch partners or have multiple partners at the same time. Always looking for the someone better and better. Never satisfied with who-ever comes along. No one is good enough for you, ever. Another 犯賤 case.

There are people interested in U but u keep brushing them away because they are too "low", too easily-acquired. No challenge at all. Instead u try to flirt with someone u like but he/she never show a bit of interest in u. Never mind. U track him/her down. Call and sms everyday. Still no reply. U wait and wait. Until the next potential target comes along. 犯賤 case number 3.

U like somebody but secretly admire from afar. Hoping the cupid works its intended way and suddenly one day the person would notice u. Then one nice day ur heart breaks when u find out the person is no more single available. 犯賤 or not?

Anymore scenario u could think of? Are u or are u not 犯賤 too?

Happy Friday :)

M for MC

2010-04-05T07:32:00.002+08:00

Since i started working 2 years ago, i have the notion that Monday equals MC day. In case u are wondering what is MC (if ur really that diligent or innocent) , MC is medical certificate/ medical leave.

Every Monday comes, there will be people lining up for taking leaves. The trend is especially apparent in a clinic. No denying that there are real sick people needing an MC, there are lots of fakers too. Among some of the usual complaints they come with are abdominal pain, diarrhoea, fever, headache, vomiting, bodyache etc...things that cannot be checked physically...oops..did i say too much? :P Anyway those who can get away with it should just nominate themselves for best actor/actress award...We could only give everyone benefit of doubt, dont we?

Well, never occur to me that I become the one needing an MC today. Because i never took MC on Monday and im not one of those fakers. Was waken up by an intense abdominal pain around 3am. I could literally hear my bowels screaming. Water was gushing in and out in the bowels. As if they were making a cup of teh tarik. Made several visits to the washroom. It wasnt teh tarik in the end. It was more like chrysanthemum tea, in the toilet bowl..

So, anyone up for a cup of freshly brewed chrysanthemum tea? haha...happy working everyone :)

Fool

2010-04-03T06:51:00.002+08:00

I quite like this song by Landy温岚 . Its a chinese song titled 傻瓜 (Fool)
but english subtitle is included. Enjoy! :P

The lyrics might sound too familiar for some of us..

Oral sex

2010-03-28T07:00:00.002+08:00

I am not writing a tutorial on how to conduct oral sex nor am I certified to "advise" how to further heightened your partner's sensual pleasure on the bed.

Instead, recent studies have linked the increased incidence of oral cancer to oral sex.

According to a commentary published this week in the British Medical Journal (BMJ), despite a slight overall decrease in head and neck cancers worldwide, there has been a recent surge in one particular form of the disease—oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma—that may be due to the spread of the human papillomavirus (HPV) through oral sex. Dr. Hisham Mehanna, director of the Institute of Head and Neck Studies and Education at University Hospital in Coventry, as well as other cancer specialists, points to data showing that, in the U.S., there was little change in the incidence of this form of mouth cancer from 1975–1999, but between 1999 and 2006, cases of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma grew by 22%. Among men in the U.K., there was a 51% increase in this form of mouth cancer between 1989 and 2006.

Researchers suggest that this growing form of mouth cancer is likely due to sexual transmission of HPV, pointing to data from a recent analysis of more than 11,0000 people showing that individuals with six or more sexual partners had a 25% higher risk for developing the disease. Additionally, the risk for this type of mouth cancer was nearly three times higher in individuals with four or more oral sex partners. As the authors sum up: "Sexual transmission of HPV—primarily through orogenital intercourse might be the reason for the increase in incidence of HPV related oropharyngeal carcinoma."

From New England Journal of Medicine (vol 356, p 1944):
"People who have had more than five oral-sex partners in their lifetime are 250% more likely to have throat cancer than those who do not have oral sex, a new study suggests.

The researchers believe this is because oral sex may transmit human papillomavirus (HPV), the virus implicated in the majority of cervical cancers.

The new findings should encourage people to consistently use condoms during oral sex as this could protect against HPV, the team says. Other experts say that the results provide more reason for men to receive the new HPV vaccine.

Oral HPV infection is strongly associated with oropharyngeal cancer among subjects with or without the established risk factors of tobacco and alcohol use."

From ScienceDaily (May 10, 2007)
"Researchers at the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center have conclusive evidence that human papillomavirus (HPV) causes some throat cancers in both men and women. Reporting in the May 10 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine, the researchers found that oral HPV infection is the strongest risk factor for the disease, regardless of tobacco and alcohol use, and having multiple oral sex partners tops the list of sex practices that boost risk for the HPV-linked cancer.

Oral sex, including both fellatio and cunnilingus, is the main mode of transit for oral HPV infection, the investigators say, although mouth-to-mouth transmission remains possible and was not ruled out by the current study...

...Gillison said a new FDA-approved vaccine, known by its tradename Gardasil, can prevent genital HPV infection in girls and young women, but has not yet been shown to prevent infection in boys and men. The vaccine's ability to prevent oral HPV infection and oral cancers, which are more common in men, also is not known. Although HPV detection is now added to the Pap smear for cervical cancer screening, there are no screening methods for oral cancers besides visual inspection during annual dental visits. But Gillison says that it's still too early to recommend including HPV detection in oral cancer screening...."

So do u have more than 5 oral sex partners in your lifetime? If u do, u are 250% more likely to develop oral cancer than those who do not!

And the alternatives?
A. Vaginal sex
B. Oral sex with condom
C. DIY
D. Sexual abstinence

And your choice would be......?

Have a nice weekend everyone :)

The unborn baby

2010-03-20T08:35:00.000+08:00

Few days ago, while i was busy working in my office, suddenly there was a call from the ANC (antenatal section). My colleague who is in-charge of it was on leave so I have no choice but to "one leg kick" the whole place.

On the phone i heard a desperate voice of a staff nurse. "Must be mou-hou-yeh" i thought silently in my mind. And true enough, she said there is a Malay lady who is about 19 weeks pregnant complaining of lower abdominal pain and per-vaginal bleeding which happen since morning.... and there is "something jutting out from her vagina".... I was like WTF... anyway the vital signs were stable and so I have to abandon the huge load of people waiting outside and go to attend the case.

Once i reached the place, i saw some relieved faces. Then i saw a kidney dish containing a big sac and a piece of placenta. On further questioning and looking at the records, apparently she was already diagnosed to have a miscarriage the day before and that the pregnancy was non-viable already at the hospital and was asked to go to the nearest health center in case of PV bleed. The staff nurse should really have told that in advanced....haih...

Luckily the patient was in stable condition and the gestational sac and placenta everything was still intact, which means nothing was left in the uterus, which could be a messy affair. Ultrasound scan confirmed the finding.

Didnt take a pic of the sac though cos not appropriate ma...But it looks something like this..

Just imagine a big sac full of fluids and the inside contain a small fetus like the one above. Then beside it is a piece of placenta. It does smell ...musky? The quirky nurse was even asking whether to poke open the sac to see the contents inside. But i prohibited it cos whats the point of breaking it and letting out all the nasty amniotic fluid leh? Might as well leave everything in one piece and let it look beautiful at its last moment, at least.

Hmm...but the weird thing is... how come i dont feel anything at all? I dont feel anything disgusting or horrible (there were blood splattered on the bed as well). In fact there was once an accident case with a head trauma patient. I could stick my finger into a hole on the back of his head to see how deep is the puncture wound. And the head was wet with dripping blood. Disgusting right?

Have i lost my sense of humanity? Or have i become stoic from all these encounters? Hmm..

Stalker? Admirer?

2010-03-14T07:26:00.009+08:00

To you a.k.a *****880, whom might be reading this post now, I just wanna say that I knew u have been tracking me online for quite some time now. Initially I chose to ignore it because no harm has been done. However, the mail u sent this morning has prove to be too much of a bitter pill to swallow. While I do not wish to view it in a negative light, I must stress that I DO NOT enjoy being sneaked up on nor am I such a celebrity to deserve this kind of treatment.

U probably have read through every single post here to dig a little tidbits about me here and there. While I appreciate your passion in reading my blog, I certainly could not endorse your doings. U have breached my comfort zone by infringing into my personal life and as such tantamount to violating my privacy. I just feel uncomfortable with this.

Hence, I would greatly appreciate it if u would refrain from continuing such unfruitful actions. Thank you and have a nice day:)

p.s. Any hunks here wanna be my personal bodyguard? I fear i might need some..LOL

A place to call home

2010-03-06T12:46:00.001+08:00

We are like the harbours

resting ourselves by the seaside

welcoming ships of all walks of life into our little sanctuary

for them to take a rest

replenish energy to go on with their separate journey

ships...they come and they go

never knowing if they would return to us one day

all the harbour could do

is shining its ever blinding light

wait for the day THE ship would come

and calls it his home for eternity

We are like the ships

ferry, yachts, boats and sampans,

sailing in this vast ocean

brace ourselves against the angry tides and waves

sometimes we are hit by giant tsunami

that brings us down

sometimes pirates ship comes out of the blue

robs us of our money and gold

strips us of our dignity

but somewhere along the way a lifeboat appears and lift us up

Some of us are drifters

letting the waves bring us to fresh continents

continent to continent we go

into the unknown territory

unaware of danger lurking all around

Some of us are seekers

ready with navigator

setting eyes on treasure islands

island after island we go

seeking the elusive treasures

But in the end

what we been looking for all along

is just a harbour to dock, for LIFE

a place to call HOME

BLUEY. 2010.

This Afro hair is not me...

What is wrong with str8 men nowadays?

2010-02-27T07:33:00.002+08:00

Yesterday went to IPoh Parade to have a look since its so bored and hot at home. Nothing to buy and nothing to ogled it , how disappointing :(

Anyway, while i was browsing in the bookstore (browsing the books of course), I see a very young couple probably in their early 20s chit-chatting away with their friends. And then I saw this:

Sad to say there is no lack of young Ah Bengs and Ah Lians here but the problem doesn't lie in here. What is wrong with the above picture? Nothing...except that the handbag was slugged over the guy's shoulder instead... and he was happily parading and walking around the bookstore as if he is in some fashion runway... I frowned for a brief moment and really felt like wanna puke!

Not that I have any problem with a guy carrying a bag. But a guy carrying a ladies' bag? Yucks100!!! Thats yucks to the power of 100! I believe there is a difference being a gentlemen and a slave! To open the door for the lady is gentlemen. To stash a seat for the lady is gentlemen. To walk/drive the lady back home is gentlemen (provided she doesnt have a car). To carry your girl's handbag is NOT. That is obviously a master and slave manifestation. Its not like the handbag is very heavy or she just had a dislocated shoulder... What's next? Lick her boots clean with the tongue? Is there any wonder how this could happen as posted some time ago?

Seriously, what is wrong with str8 guys nowadays? This is not the first time im seeing this peculiar phenomenon. Male feminization syndrome? Afflicted with testicular atrophy? Really no eye see....

What do you think? Am I the only one with too much male ego?

Taugeh Chicken Kai Si Hor Fun

2010-02-22T07:00:00.003+08:00

Brought a friend from Malacca sightseeing around IPoh again this time...Went a little bit further away including Kellie's Castle. I brought him to try the Taugeh Chicken near my place instead of the usual Lou Wong and Onn Kee in town area for dinner. Luckily we went early cos 7.30pm already full with people. Lucky lucky :P

Let the pics do the talking:

Chicken can be order in a separate plate or in the form of Kai Si Hor Fun (shredded chicken in noodle soup). We ordered 2 bowls of this. The chicken is tender and smooth. Hor Fun looks nice in translucent colour. I find it less oily compare to the 2 shops mentioned before.

I ordered another plate of Taugeh. Typical fat juicy Ipoh Taugeh. LOL. Some people say its fat and juicy because of the mountain water they used for irrigation. Wonder true or not....In that case the same mountain water is consumed by Ipoh people as well right? Then Ipohians should be fat and juicy too, no?

Besides Taugeh Chicken, the shop also serves some extra side dishes and even Char Siew rice. Here is a bowl of Pork Balls. Spongily nice :D

They also serve chicken feet like the one pictured above. All my life I have always think chicken feet is so dirty, unhygienic, gross....but it seems appealing enough for me to try. The first time in my life I tasted a chicken feet! Though just the smaller pieces...LOL....Yeah its nice indeed...

And where the heck is this place anyway?? since i been talking so long....

This is the place we went that evening. And the total cost for the appetizing dinner? RM12.90. I definitely should eat here more often since its so near my house LOL.

p.s. Today start working d...sob...sob....

Sizzling hot

2010-02-17T21:45:00.002+08:00

These few days the weather back home has been freakishly sizzling hot! I have no choice but to hide in my aircon room. The outside temperature was enough to boil eggs i think.. This month electricity bill gonna shoot through the roof :P

Yesterday got friends came visiting from Penang. Being a horrible tour guide that i am with a poor sense of direction, i tried bringing them around town for cari makan (salvaging for food) and to the limestone caves..

The amount of cars and people plying the streets big and small was multiplied by factor by at least 3 in Ipoh. I have always avoided those touristy places and famous food outlets but this time no choice already la...Gotta brave the traffic jam and horrendous sun. In the end it was more like bringing them round town "long kai" because everywhere we go the eateries were packed to the brim. After finding a carpark still have to wrestle for seats to have meal somemore! Aduh!!!

Yee Fatt curry mee shop was still not opened yet. Then went to dimsum place, the famous Fu Shan restaurant with couple of other dimsum shops around. Boy was it a harrowing experience! The crowd was tussling to get into the restaurant! As if everyone is begging for food and the food are free! Giving up, we went up to Greentown area. Great...all shops were closed for CNY. Tim Shun Long kopitiam was again packed...Sun Yoon Loong kopitiam famous for the white coffee was closed somemore. Didnt dare to venture into the old town area cos its extremely difficult to find parking there. In the end we settle for a dimsum restaurant in Ipoh Garden....haih... Cari makan during Chinese New Year is such a headache!

Foh San restaurant (downloaded pic from the net). The crowd that day was several times more than in this picture.

After filling up the stomach, brought them to the Tongs (caves) in Ipoh. Certainly not my cup of tea...the burning josstick...the traffic jam...the crowd...and the HOT weather didnt help one bit. Didnt take much pictures cos didnt bring my cam anyway.

One of the famous limestone caves...Sam Poh Tong.

CNY has been a pretty standard boring affair this year with no where to go. Just makan (not alot also), watch movies (booked 3 this week alone), online and sleep. Not to mention Ang Pao got alot less as the year goes... well at least got a break from work :)

Happy working to those of you who are back to work!

Happy Chinese New Year ~Roar~

2010-02-12T08:10:00.005+08:00

The Year of the Tiger is coming very soon. Here i would like to wish everyone Happy Chinese New Year! May u all attain perpetual happiness and wealth!

I myself dread CNY because of the faiwah-lism culture among the Chinese relatives. Eg. Have u got a girlfriend? When is your turn getting married? When are u expecting the next baby? Isn't it time to replace your old car/bf/gf/furniture/house/face.....already? How come ur getting fatter every year..?

Enough of faiwah-lism....Just gimme the angpau ok? Im going back hometown soon, expecting alot of traffic along the highway... Everyone please fasten your seatbelts and drive safely. Take a rest if you are feeling tired or sleepy. Btw, I almost killed myself in a mishap 2 weeks ago while travelling on highway (slept on the wheel!!) Otherwise it would have been sayonara to u all...

Anyway, Happy Chinese New Year! Eat more! Stuff yourself with glorious food! See your money and time invested in gyms go down the drain ya?! LOL..

A love letter

2010-02-06T07:53:00.000+08:00

Yesterday was a special day for me. My colleague walked into my room and passed me a package. She was being so secretive and just said someone asked to pass to me at the information counter. Despite grilling her to 180 Degree celcius but she just wouldnt tell who is the sender of the package, just said its from a client. Hmm.........

I opened the package and voila! Its a love letter leh...! Im so touched :P Thank you to whoever u are, though i have absolutely no idea who u might be LOL. This year's Valentine is a special one for me cos I finally get a love letter :D

A big canister with a label that says "Love Letters"

So much Love Letters inside! :P

Its yummilicious! A REAL love letter wouldn't hurt either :D

Sightseeing@Bangkok part 2

2010-01-24T12:51:00.002+08:00

Heard from my friend that this is a popular massage center "The Prime". We didnt went in though...Anyone been here before?

A granny feeding pigeons just outside the Grand Palace. The birds were flocking to her like bees to flowers. Hopefully the birds are free of influenza germs :P

The Grand Palace. Lots of gold paints around. Is this because Thai King likes gold colour? Not my niche. I never like visiting places of religions and palaces. Just been there, done that kind of thing.

A pigeon admiring a blooming lotus in the Grand Palace...

Ok...enough of gold colour already... my eyes are sore now. This is one of the newer malls in Bangkok...central world. Something like The Gardens that cater to the high fashion crowd mostly. And of course, if u have deep pockets wouldn't hurt either :D

This is where poor people like me do their shopping. Platinum fashion mall. Loads and loads of small boutique stores selling eastern and western style apparels, undies, ballgowns etc... Affordable prices, choices aplenty. Warning! Never come here with the girls. The girls will never come out once they are inside. Also due to the fact that its really a MAZE in there. Easily get lost :P
No wonder Thai people always get to wear trendy clothes! The clothes are so nice and cheaper than here..

A weird looking bag on sale. Looks like Pagolin right?

More unique bags on parade. Im sure kids will love them, especially the spiky ones. Suit their hairstyle :P

Welcome to Gaysorn shopping centre! Your one stop for gays, queers, PLUs, rainbow community...But the fact is, it has nothing to do with gay at all.

We actually come to Platinum twice because there is just too much to see :P This is the second day early morning when we see dozens and dozens of Thai girls like this carrying their large trolley bags scouting around for deals. Initially i thought these girls are shopaholics in buying frenzy. But more likely, they are scouting goods for their stalls in other bazaars eg. SuanLum, Chatuchak etc. Because Platinum is also a wholesale distribution centre for apparels. Obviously the prices is cheapest here :D

Sailormoon dresses also available here leh...any takers? Cosplayers? Hehe...

Shirts....undies...and more undies...

The shopping crowd. The Thai lady. The trolley bag again...

Its shopping frenzy! What are you waiting for? Just grab...grab...and grab....

Walk until legs go numb already... Eat pork burger at McD, MBK mall. Spotted this cute caucasian. Not sure what is he doing... Ang gu gu... oh so damn cute :P

Sightseeing@Bangkok

2010-01-21T07:00:00.001+08:00

Chinatown. Lots of jewellery shops and shops selling birds nest... the jewellery shops like to show their wares hanging on the walls, not sure why....and the gold necklace looks pretty thick...like dog chains...LOL

Famous Tuk Tuk...motorized 3 wheeler. But i would prefer a Toyota Corolla Altis taxi any time over this...the Bangkok air pollution is not to be reckon with...my face turn coarse just after 5 days there... blame it on my lack of facial protection :P Somemore the tuk tuk are not cheap. Ride it just for the experience, if u like.

Every morning u can see loads of stalls by the roadside selling breakfast, ranging from fruits to popiah to fried hotdog/meatballs/burgers etc. Very convenient and popular among the office workers.

Students crossing the busy Bangkok road. Is this their formal wear and style? How come all with braided hair? Must be all the rage in the schools nowadays LOL

Water transport, more specifically rivers plays an important role in public transport in Bangkok. People there still uses boats to travel to work at this day and age surprisingly! Maybe because there is no traffic lights and jams? :P

Very nice light deco on sale at Suan Lum Night Bazaar....we bought couple of this :) Jealous leh? hahaha...

So much of artsy deco can be found here... its a treasure trove of interior deco!

Very nice indeed....but how to bring back to malaysia leh?

Super cute clocks @ Suan Lum. But pretty expensive too...My friend was dying to get one...Hope u have already recovered from your withdrawal symptoms lah....LOL

Clocks for people who need to travel different places always?

A Protong advertisement found at a BTS station. In this land of Toyotas and Hondas, how does Protong compete leh? Quality? Pricing? Customer service? Brand name? Ahem... even Malaysians resort to buying Protong for no other reason than ridiculously high taxes imposed on foreign cars. But once ur in the outside world, who will cover u? In the 5 days we were here, we only saw one protong car. Nuff said.

There is no lack of gay bars and male massage center here. Nightclub with scantily dressed ladies gyrating to the dancing poles also abundant. Didnt take those pics though for fear of personal safety LOL. U see... even when we were just walking on the street, there is already some "salesman" come to approach and promote us the services. What u think will happen if i flash my camera there? LOL. Luckily my friend kena the most from these salesman. "Do i really look like a Hamsap (horny) man?" he ask. "well...judging from the crowd enticing u, u must really look like one!" i said. LOL....I didnt get asked alot, but mainly because i was walking at the back i guess.... using him as my shield :P

Took this pic near Platinum Mall...The girl slipping her hand on her beau...and the beau slipping his hand on his beau....Well....actually just got the angle accidently. Hehe...

I cant seem to remember why i took this pic in the first place.....somewhere around the floating market.

SEE that? Even BMW is promoting my site on their office tower.... Oh... thank you so much!! If they sponsor me a car would be even better :P

Gourmet@Bangkok

2010-01-18T17:55:00.001+08:00

Date: 11-15 Jan 2010

My first ever trip to Bangkok, Thailand. The land of pretty boys, lady boys, transvestites...It was such a wonderful trip I'm beginning to miss it already :P

We were staying at this hostel called Takeanap along Silom road in silom district. Within walking distance to Sala Daeng BTS station and close to PatPong Bazaar. Nice location. Nice room with wall deco. Nice helpful staff. So much so that we treat the nice lady mango smoothie on our last day before we wave byebye to Bangkok :)

Similar to here, the food in Bangkok was abundant, easily available and u can choose from the roadside stalls to the chic bars and restaurants. I find the price comparable to KL.

One thing I noticed about the Thai people is that they are so SLIM! Not fat like alot of Malaysians do! Also, the Thai office boys like to wear white shirt and low cut/slim fit pants showing off their long slender feet and tight bottoms. So damn sexy!!! Besides the fact that they probably walk and climb more, it has to do with their diet! Yeah, my friend was complaining how come their BTS stations doesn't have elevators and have to walk up the stairs! Imagine u been busy shopping all day and u have to climb the stairs one step at a time to reach the station..... Not become slim also cannot lar? My feet were almost going numb LOL. Also, Thai food seem to be less fatty and oily compare to here. Just think about rendang, nasi lemak, most of malay food, etc etc... well, u get the drift.

(click the pic to enlarge)

From left: Nanxing restaurant in Chinatown. Ordered a fish, a kangkung and birdnest. Turned out to be VERY expensive meal. The fish alone cost rm40! RM4X/person.

Chicken shreded tomyam soup. Duck rice @ SuanLum Bazaar (which i actually order chicken!!Not nice!!). Simple nice vege dish at Tasty Thai restaurant

Tomyam, fried rice, springroll@Tasty Thai

Roadside eateries. Fishballs...fried chicken...satay squid/chicken/pork/hotdog (cheap!) Got ourselves roadside food for dinner for

Bread-like-thingy..not sure whats that :P .....fried shrimp/fishballs(nice!)...grill chicken/pork (nice!)

Brownie and coffee/orange/burberry juices @platinum fashion mall

PORK burgers@ McDonald! Taste 1000X better than chicken burger here!...tomyam, pandan-leave chicken, vege@SuanLum....coconut icecream @ floating market

?BakKutTeh noodle....Thai KINKY Yau Char Kueh...LOL...Apam thingy?

Chicken with rice....tomyam....pineapple fried rice@ Telephone Bar

Mango smoothie...XX Temple...GIANT grill squid (can finish eating it ka, I wonder??)

Fish patties...tomyam....char-kueh-tiao-lookalike

p.s. How come we dont have PORK burger here at McD? Such a waste lor...

The year it was..

2010-01-10T08:00:00.004+08:00

Its 1.30am in the morning and why am I sitting in front of my laptop? Im having insomnia...again for the 3rd time this week. Why is this happening to me? What is wrong with me? Premature andropause?

Flashes of last year's events running through my head. Non-stop. Thought might as pen it down. Didnt really thought of writing this entry actually...Instead of putting it in a chronological fashion like most people do, i guess better to view it analytically. Yeah im good in anal-lysis. My brain is telling me my stomach is hungry, better go get something to eat...

The Good

1. Posted to this ulu place for work. Nope, i dont mean i love working here. But somehow i think I grow up a little from this misadventure. Get to know the community healthcare better. Little excursion into the aborigines villages. Best of all? It forced me to re-examine my priorities in life. I never done that before. Everyday was work and sleep like a robot. Now i dont feel like a little boat without oars, or like a donkey with carrot dangling in front. At least less of it...A little clearer on my future goal, i guess. Definitely the best thing ever occur to me in 2009.

2. Got into the hype of blogging. Yup this is where it all started. 1 year ago. Happy One year aniversary. I actually started this out of boredom. To be able to continue writing until this day is a miracle, something beyond my imagination. I even got myself a few fellow bloggers and friends who come visit on a regular basis. U know who u are :) Though never meet any of you, its all well and good. Thanks, thanks and more thanks! Btw, how do u guys find my writings? Oh, FYI, i only made RM4.95 from Nuffnang so far. No hope of getting that very first check. But its alright. I already got more than i bargained for :)

3. Become a little more decisive, i think. My stint here has trained me well.

4. I read more. Especially on financial literacy and personal development. Though its not easy since im not from business background and i have a lousy brain.

5. Get to go HK. Too bad couldnt go more places due to lack of time/arrangement/company.

6. More comfortable with myself. No elaboration. Go figure.

7. Relationship started. Ended. Fullstop. Still considered a good thing, i guess..

The Bad

1. Still a sociophobic. Mangling with the crowd is not my cup of tea. Yeah im a caveman. Working on it.

2. Burnt my fingers in mutual fund. Luckily not alot. I dont have deep pocket to begin with, anyway. I dont think mutual is a good investment vehicle. Even Robert Kiyosaki agree on that, u know?

3. Parents getting old and still working. Nothing wrong with working but wish they can retire and do what they like to do. Of course to make it happen i need $$$. Lots of it. Side job as gigolo, perhaps? But im not even sure if im eligible.

4. More frequent episodes of insomnia. I cant explain why. Tell me why...tell me why

5. Had 1 or 2 mishaps in my work. Luckily didnt end up in court or something. Dont wanna talk about it.

6. Working away from hospital also makes my skills especially in procedures karat already. It was just one year+ ago that i was doing pleural tapping, peritoneal dialysis, lumbar punctures alone at the middle of the night during oncalls. I shall not miss these adventures and oncalls haha...

7. Friendship and relationship that never came to light. Bouts of depression for me and perhaps them...hurt some people on the way. Im sorry...and i hope u and u all the best in your future undertakings.

The Ugly

1. I feel the world is coming to an end. Earthquakes, tsunami, tornados, twisters, flash floods.....Maybe not in 2012 but within my lifetime and perhaps yours? Oh, do come and share your final thoughts here when the earth says BYE BYE to us. This is 7th heaven :) Put your confessions here and hopefully u can descend to this arbitrary Heaven! And make sure its spicy ones eg. scandals/frauds/hidden sons and daughters/sexpeditions etc. At least I know I have done better and lived better than u in my limited lifespan. Of course for increasing readership as well :P

2. Bolehland politics. Something I will never comprehend. BUT if u wanna be somebody and be rich fast and that is ALL that matters to u, then yeah...go ahead. No objection, your honour.

3. Im still as ugly? LOL

Wow...really quite some time i never rant like this. Something is definitely wrong with me. I need a fix! Perhaps trip to the land of transvestites and pretty boys tomorrow will fix me up good. So how was 2009 for u? Good? Bad? If good carry on. If no good, i sincerely wish u learnt something out of it and emerge a winner this year :-)

What is wrong about being single?

2010-01-08T12:15:00.000+08:00

What is wrong about being single?

Nothing.

Just that...

there will be no one to celebrate special occasions with...

no one to have a hearty meal together...

no one to share life's ups and downs...

no one to say good night and sweet dream every night...

no one to console you when you feeling like thousand needles stabbing through the chest...

no one to lend a shoulder when you need one...

On the other hand,

no need to spend extra time to accomodate him/her...

no need to spend extra money to buy gifts...

no need to think about the others feeling when making decisions...

no need to stuck your head in this pesky thing called relationship...

So what is fcuking wrong with being a single eligible bachelor?

Its not like I have a choice anyway.

6-in-1 pack

2010-01-01T08:41:00.001+08:00

Darn it...there is no mistaking it...im getting bigger...in size...

Nope its not the 6 packs...but rather the waistline is increasing. Blame it on work! Sitting on the chair while working after meal is as good as choking down a pound of cheeseburger down the throat...

Im not hoping for a washboard abs or any of the 6 pack things, since i know my limits, but pluueassse....return back my normal abs....the 6-in-1 abs is becoming like a tai pau....

I might just do this when im desperate enough !!

Oh...Happy New Year everyone...May u basked in more love, good health and money in this new year!!

Selfish Pig

2009-12-09T16:48:00.001+08:00

Selfish pig cartoons by Andy Riley. I find it an interesting depiction of everyday human's behaviour u may come across, esp in office environment!

This one is my favourite:

What great spurt of wisdom!!! LOL..

Encounter pigple like this before? How you deal with them? :D

Kongey-Street view+Transport+People

2009-12-07T07:09:00.001+08:00

One thing i didnt expect in the city centre is the lack of traffic jams, surprisingly. Unlike KL we are stuck in jam even when we are already on the "highway", and still gotta pay for the toll...what nonsense!

I think it has got to do with their transportation system, which is far more convenient, than in KL. They have buses, MRTs, Tramlines, taxis plying the road and ferrying passengers at REGULAR intervals and in TIMELY fashion. The buses are slightly more advanced than KL' ones. MRTs announce the next destination in a clear tone of voice, unlike KL LRT's blurting of nonsensical English. Sometimes when ur lucky, u dont hear anything at all LOL

Inside a bus. Notice the clean seats with two TVs and a center LCD console showing the next destination, which changes automatically on each stop.

Heck even the double decker buses has a special compartment to put all your heavy luggages. How come i never see this on local buses?

Its a good idea to buy an octopus if ur using public transport in HK. Its available from the airport terminal and most MRT stations. Its really convenient cos u can just smack the octopus on the buses, MRTs, Trams for your commuting. And when u shop at malls, u can even pay your purchases with octopus too! Nifty!

The Octopus Card, equivalent to Touch n Go here. Only more useful..

The streets of HK are a blend of old and new. Old monuments exist alongside super chic buildings. There are quite a few streets famous for their night market and stuff. Their shoplots are very organized in the sense that similar retails are grouped along the same street. So u can see a street with shops selling clothes on one side then the next junction u see another street full of shops selling fishes and tanks. We also went to the famous Miu Kai (Temple street) and Lady street just to have a look. My friend got the honour of kena marah by a lady peddler LOL...

He was looking at some wares at the Temple Street. As we were leaving, the lady peddler was cursing at him and the other Caucasian tourist : 你不買就某害斗搞搞震！！ (Don't touch my things if u not going to buy them!!). I think our local pasar malam peddlers are much more civilised at least....LOL. On the other hand, there are a handful of immigrants from China who work in HK with their fluent Cantonese, whom i feel are more friendlier.

I noticed that the elderly people of HK tend to be more protective of themselves, being realistic and sometimes really rude to others. No offense to anyone but this is just my observation. Perhaps years of living in this concrete jungle shaped their behaviour to be such in order to survive. HK is totally NOT a good place to retire...

Even the younger generation also behave in a "cold" way...Not in a heartless way but just seem indifferent. Now only i know why foreigners tend to say Malaysians are warm people :D Of course im just saying in per se.

I guess ur considered lucky if u have a high-density apartment like this to stay after ur retired in HK. The less lucky ones will have bridges covering their heads or staying in those infamous "cage lodging"

I feel that HK is a nice place to visit but not really a good place to call home. Too hectic too expensive and far too crowded to my liking :-)

Where would u like to stay after your retirement?

Kongey walk-food galore

2009-12-05T07:00:00.002+08:00

Blow....blow....blow....before your mind drifted off somewhere, Im actually blowing away the dust collecting in this blog, its growing mold like Ant said. Last week just not in the mood to write anything. Blame it on my period if u will..LOL

Finally finished editing the HK trip photos. My first ever trip to the metropolis. Though im kinda familiar with the environment there from watching TVB shows but being there myself is another experience in itself.

Food we sampled during our short tour (click to enlarge)

We stayed in Cityview hotel in Mongkok district. Its really a convenient place cos everything is within walking distance. The food, shopping retails, MRT etc etc. But downside is we really have to walk a LOT. I think i lost my tummy while i was there LOL.

Didnt really go hunting for expensive restaurants or specific food. We just stop by where ever we were, and talk whatever we see fit. Haha..so much for spontaneity :D

From the La-Zha Meen (literally translated as Dirty Noodle) to Che-Zhai Meen (Carwheel noodle) to Dim Sum to Yau Char Koay to foodcourt meals. Somehow the dimsum places we went doesnt seem to break my expectation...in fact it pales to Ipoh dimsum.. maybe we just didnt know where to look :P

The first thing I noticed about the food here is the PRICE. Its so so much expensive!! A typical meal at the tiny little eateries will easily set u back HK20-30 which is around RM10-20. (My typical meal here only costs RM3-5). Yeah...im really really poor...can only afford cheap food LOL. In fact for soya drinks if u would like to add on the ice, u have to add HK2 for each cup!! What a rip off!! RM1 for couple of icecubes??! I had the most expensive chicken rice in Food republic, Time Square HK. Its a freaking HKD 48 meal... !

Another thing i notice is the prevalence of meal sets in eateries here. Everything comes in set. A typical set consist of the main course (rice/noodle) with a drink and a soup. Its usually fullfilling enough fortunately. Quite different from local here where u can just pick anything u want without worrying about the price :)

To be continued...

7th heaven 七重天

Weekend getaway to ........

To 愛 or not 愛

The story of Threadfin 馬友魚的故事

Hauled to court

Ah Soh's story-finale

Psycho and Fearless

Bad romance 爛桃花

Prosperity 2011

Memoirs of 2010

On giving Face "面子是別人給的"

Sunshine where art thou?

Insurance. Have you done your homework?

Mid life crisis/Herd mentality

Sundae sunday

The mind boggling maths of mortgages

Farming

Thuan Chye Responds to “Orang Cina Malaysia, apa lagi yang anda mahu?”(Utusan Malaysia article)

Giant leap begins with a small step

Being unpopular

Question

Meaning of Life (part 2)

Is this the solution to our traffic jams?

男 士 不 該 愛 美 嗎 ? Men should not be vain?

Plugs and Holes

It's a Monday morning

Pigitization

Here u see, now u don't!

One wrong turn

Farewell to Far Away Land

Share your sorrows

U are AMAZING!

Why its a good idea to clean your hand after handshake

insensitive me? im money freak?

Weekend Getaway 2

Let me go

Wedding Day

Expired?

Weekend Getaway

Hotties

Don't cha wish your boyfriend was hot like me?

Bad publicity

Brotherly Love

男人天生愛犯賤 Of being jerks

M for MC

Fool

Oral sex

The unborn baby

Stalker? Admirer?

A place to call home

What is wrong with str8 men nowadays?

Taugeh Chicken Kai Si Hor Fun

Sizzling hot

Happy Chinese New Year ~Roar~

A love letter

Sightseeing@Bangkok part 2

Sightseeing@Bangkok

Gourmet@Bangkok

The year it was..

What is wrong about being single?

6-in-1 pack

Selfish Pig

Kongey-Street view+Transport+People

Kongey walk-food galore

男士不該愛美嗎 ? Men should not be vain?