tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-25738432164199473012024-03-12T19:10:01.327-07:00Laughter Is The Best MedicineNo Fun No Gainbenni_thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391871408892119240noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-73286168839567175932009-12-27T09:46:00.000-08:002009-12-27T09:57:48.499-08:00Ten Dollars.Jack found ten dollars in the alley, he is so happy that he walk to his neighbor Tom, but Tom vowed: "It's mine, I dropped a 'ten dollar' notes yesterday."<br />Jack: "OK that you lost it? But what I picked up were two 'five dollar" notes!"<br />Tom: "Hmm.. it must had smashed by the wind!"MingSenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904895193921982264noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-50598440931367796702009-06-03T22:08:00.001-07:002009-06-03T22:08:46.806-07:00Why we had to leave — Part II<p style="font-size: 12px;">Slightly more than a week ago, I wrote a letter to share with people, especially Malaysians, why talented Malaysians decide to leave. Since then, the reactions have been awe-inspiring. These have inspired me to continue writing from where I left off. </p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">There have been many encouraging as well as challenging responses. Truthfully, either way, I am moved by these eloquent individuals who have uttered their constructive comments in a communal manner. It is my humble intent to get the subject under way from the very beginning in order to create greater awareness. Over the years, we have heard the government pouring out its disgruntlement about “brain drain” but for obvious reason the seepage is no way near an end.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Like it or not, the flight of human capital is intimately linked to the social and economic factors and these have a lot to do with the political dynamism of the government. It has been a year and three months (big sigh!) since the last election but as rightly pointed out by the writer of “Umno — last man standing? (The Malaysia Insider, June 2)”, the political parties of the ruling coalition are just incompetent of recovering from the devastation as seen from their inability to advocate change, infighting and self denials (it cannot bear a single hard blow!).</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Hence, we need to ask ourselves do we still need this government who has not only failed us (though it won the 12th general election) but is on the verge of self extinction with its apathetic approach to issues concerning people’s livelihood.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Previously, I have momentarily mentioned that the solution to our political predicament is people’s power: “Government to take stock and must return to basics… else change of guard”. I am very relieved that the writer of “We can buy skills and talents but not integrity (Malaysiakini, June 1)” was able to see my standpoint. When we mentioned people’s power, it means Malaysians regardless of race, religion or region (where are we) and with the same aim i.e. a vote for the ultimate transformation in the coming 13th general election.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Shameless armchair critics </strong></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Yes, there are shameless armchair critics within society today as highlighted by the writer of “Search for better lives, non-Bumis face dilemma” (Malaysiakini, May 28). I do not feel any distaste to the writer observation because everyone is entitled to their views. Similarly the writer of “We can buy skills and talents but not integrity” (Malaysiakini, June 1) felt that because I wrote a letter, I had done something which disqualified me from the shameless armchair. Truthfully, I do not want to make a fuss concerning the shameless armchair critic. I strongly believe that all Malaysians no matter where we are (with the exception of the extremists who do not want to hear let alone do), we can contribute to make Malaysia a better brand name, so to speak.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><strong style="font-size: 12px;">The right to speak </strong></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Allow me to put few facts in perspective before I proceed. Many of us who we are living away have not given up our Malaysia passports and identities. Migration absolutely does not signify one is wealthy as we fall in the category of skill migration. As a permanent resident, we had to start from the beginning and worked our way through like anyone else. The only difference is we are living in a system that cares for our livelihood and we feel safe.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">As far as Malaysia is concerned, we are patriotic enough and we are not ashamed to demonstrate that. Our hearts are still with it and we are not about to leave it “dying”. Our feelings do not change no matter how far we are. Besides having the prerogative to vote, we know that we can continue to play a role for the betterment of Malaysia. I would like to thank the writer of “Ex-Malaysians and their right to speak” (The Malaysia Insider, June 2) for his extraordinary narration about “ex-Malaysians” and their right to speak. One important point mentioned was we could contribute by looking at Malaysia from “outside”. This is a profound view. In my previous letter, I had absolutely no ulterior intention to run down the country. I was depicting the truth based on my many years of work experience in Malaysia (17 years when l left).</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Seventeen years is not a short time, I reckon a person would able to feel whether society is functioning well given this amount of time. For example (they are more), I was definitely shell shocked with the egotistic attitude of the staff from the Ministry of Education when I tried to seek information personally. When I came over here, the system is completely the opposite. I was flattered by the warmth shown by the Education Department and schools at the state level. I do not think it needs a genius to delineate what comprises good governance. I am always dumbfounded whenever I compare the two systems. If the Ministry of Education can take in two-thirds of their Down Under mind-set, I shall be over the moon. Malaysia is probably still a developing country but the concern is some of our government servants are still preserving the same old styles and habits year in year out. This mentality is a large baggage to carry if Malaysia were to become an indisputable developed nation. It is time to change.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><strong style="font-size: 12px;">Not where we are but what we do </strong></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Without a doubt, many Malaysians are where we are because of the attainment of basic needs like physiological and safety (rather than those higher in the hierarchy like esteem, and self-actualisation — Abraham Maslow pyramid of needs). Moving away for many professionals is a matter of economic survival rather than the love for migration. Many professionals are global workers and they go where the opportunities beckon. Can they be faulted for this? This explanation is not to justify our reason to stay away but it is a fact of life for many Malaysians.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Truthfully, the issue is not about why we flight or where we are but how we fight and what are we going to do. I quote from the view of the writer of “We can buy skills and talents but not integrity” (Malaysiakini, June 1): “We all have different callings and gifts in life and we can't all do the same thing. But one thing we should all agree on is that more of the same will not do.” These are remarkable statements from the writer and are in congruence with my thoughts. He went on to say and I quote: ”So in or out of the country, it is not where you are but what you do that matters.”</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><strong style="font-size: 12px;">There are many roles to play </strong></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">I empathise with the writer of “Search for better lives, non-Bumis face dilemma” (Malaysiakini, May 28) where many Malaysians did not bother lifting the broom to tidy our home. I for one have a high regard for the courage displayed by Malaysians holding peaceful demonstrations within their democratic right. These people are genuine “freedom fighters”. Nevertheless, we need to respect that everyone has their own temperaments and beliefs.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">To fight against prejudice, there are many roles Malaysians can play beyond wearing head gear and shouting slogans. I would like to refer the writer of “It's time Malaysia changes for the good (Malaysiakini, May 29). The role he can play is to continue highlighting the Malaysia subject in Britain as a high-ranking officer in the British government. He must not feel ashamed of what is happening in Malaysia but instead replace it with proactive deeds.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">As for the writer of “Picking a fight with 'the system' our whole lives” (Malaysiakini, May 29), she is at the crossroads between two systems. In my humblest opinion, her role is to make the most of the opportunity by choosing a system that can assist her in her career, which could make Malaysia proud. Eventually the world knows the quandary of the Malaysians and the reason for their leaving which put pressure on the Malaysia government (if it cares!) to act or else risk losing its competitiveness. Her role is to excel herself to demonstrate that it is the system that failed her and not herself.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Last year, I wrote to the then Prime Minister informing him my desire to vote as I could not do so personally being away from the country. The following was the reply (excuse me for not printing out the full name of the sender).</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><em style="font-size: 12px;">Dear Mr George</em></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><em style="font-size: 12px;">Melbourne </em></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><em style="font-size: 12px;">Australia </em></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><em style="font-size: 12px;">I am directed to refer to your email to Warkah Untuk Perdana Menteri dated 18 February 2008 on the above and wish to inform you that your concern on the voting for the Malaysian citizens living abroad is being brought to the attention of relevant agencies. I would continue to keep you posted on the developments of this subject from time to time. </em></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><em style="font-size: 12px;">Thank you </em></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><em style="font-size: 12px;">Sincerely yours </em></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><em style="font-size: 12px;">Datuk XXXX XXXXXX </em></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><em style="font-size: 12px;">Deputy Secretary-General III </em></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">I think you can guess that was the last time I heard anything from the Deputy Secretary-General III. I dare say that if the government had allowed us (any guess of the numbers) to vote like security personnel posted overseas, we would have a different government today. Also, at the end of last year, I wrote a letter to a political party to enquire whether the party had any overseas activity Down Under and the reply from the press secretary was there was none.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">The point I would like to draw attention to is that inconspicuously average Malaysians wherever they are have been doing different things (they raises their brooms) but our actions have not reached a cohesive altitude to render the final push. Average Malaysians need someone to play a link role to pick up issues like what Malaysiakini, The Malaysian Insider and Merdeka Review have been doing ( if we wait for <em style="font-size: 12px;">The Star</em>, we are doomed). For example, if someone could start to pick our brains from Britain or Down Under or review the issues we raised, many Malaysians outside the country may have a chance to vote in the coming 13th general election in our residential countries. We would love that right.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">On another occasion, if someone could put in some time and effort, we may have leaders from the political parties coming to foreign shores and receive thunderous applause for their political ceramah. These are not easy passageways but we need politicians, political parties and NGOs to champion these tasks. The aim is to share the roles, do different things, assist each other and together we aim for one purpose i.e. a vote for ultimate transformation.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">The writer of “We can buy skills and talents but not integrity” (Malaysiakini, June 1) pointed out that “the tragedy in Malaysia is that normal civil activities are regarded as acts of sedition… when innocent Malaysians are bundled into jail for taking part in legitimate expressions of their frustrations which they have the constitutional right to do”. My take is that to beat the regime of the existing government, we need to work smart rather than hard. If we cannot exercise our democratic rights within, we can play different roles from where we stand and meet each other at certain intersections.</p> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><strong style="font-size: 12px;">See you at the 13th general election </strong></p> <p style="font-size: 12px;">Getting all Malaysians together outside the country could add muscle to the voices within. It is time we started working together despite our different temperaments and beliefs. We must encourage each one to take different positions and roles. We must explain and encourage people of the need to take up the broom as every single voice and vote counts. Most important we must have great perseverance and patience as this is a long and hard battle. This is the only way and the best chance after 52 years. Come the 13th general election, we should have a checklist of all the unwarranted things that the present coalition has done and circulate the list to others to remind us why we should vote for an ultimate transformation. I can picture that many of us would be taking the next flight home come the 13th general election with one mission. I shall see you all at the polling station.</p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-23128051743549083912009-06-01T20:34:00.000-07:002009-06-01T20:39:24.693-07:00Why We Had To Leave<p>It has been two years since I left my adored country to seek my fortune Down Under. A year ago my family decided to settle down here.</p> <p>Throughout the two years since I have been away, I have followed the social, economic and political backdrops in Malaysia via both the mainstream and alternative electronic media. Strangely, I have been keeping close tabs with what is happening back home much more than when I was physically present in Malaysia.</p> <p>It hurts not being close to what is going on as the love for Malaysia has not transformed in any way though like many of my friends (there are now seven of us who have settled Down Under — six information technology consultants and one accountant), we had to leave.</p> <p>As I recollect the reasons we left home, there were several contributors to our departure.</p> <p>On the economic front, we were getting exasperated with the high standard of living and nuisances surrounding us. Pictured the high cost ordinary citizens had to bear once we stepped out of our home, for example, the petrol price, tolls, parking, and ordinary fast moving consumer goods (baby milk power).</p> <p>More importantly, there were no worthwhile measures taken to address to problems. Businesses, traders and government agencies took turn to inflate ordinary folks’ sentiments by price increases and intractable policies. As things were getting expensive, the quantity and quality eroded.</p><p>We envisaged (from past experience) that the government would not do much to solve the people’s livelihood. We just did not like to be constricted in such a manner. We decided we wanted to create another lifestyle in a more structured society where the government would be more willing to help.</p> <p>Socially, there were prevailing emotional distresses that we had to endure, for example, rude drivers, traffic hold-up (drivers who shaped their own rules), escalating crime rate (witnessed several snatch thieves in action and the grieved for the victims but police were nowhere to be seen) and broad disgruntlement among friends about living in Malaysia.</p> <p>I was also appalled by the mind-sets of several government departments such as the Ministry of Education, Inland Revenue, and Dewan Bandaraya when I had to carry out numerous errands. Government servants were rude, unconscientiously and irresponsible. The systems in place in most of the country’s organisations left a lot to be desired.</p> <p>Any rational individual would start to ask whether it is a place worth living. The government had no sense of urgency to address the contorted public order and peace. We honestly felt unsafe to venture out of our homes even though the mamak stalls were near.</p> <p>Politically, Malaysia has never been able to be isolated with the persistent racial issues. The government and its component parties were always practising double-faced roles of subduing and fanning race sentiments. Intellectuals like us could see the schema behind.</p> <p>We knew very well that those in the politics would prepare to sacrifice the well-being of ordinary folk for their greed though these people in power carried a different message on their lips. These people needed to safeguard their political livelihoods as they are nobody without power.</p> <p>Two years have passed. It hurts to watch from here when people continue to stand up against unjust systems but are frustrated by the tough and insensitive stance adopted by the government and its ruthless police force.</p> <p>Look at what has transpired in the Perak debacle. Forgive my ignorance in politics but personally I am sad to see how the authorities handle the situation. We just cannot use the approach during the 1987 Operasi Lalang to suppress and oppress the people of today.</p> <p>We are living in the 21st century and too many things have changed. The government is just too conceited to admit and discover a different strategy to tackle political issues. Just look at the sweeping action and arrogant speeches delivered by the people (OCPD from Brickfields, gosh !) representing the government.</p> <p>How can we teach our children about humbleness and politeness if the politicians seem to have a different school of thought. With the latest happening in the Malaysia scene, we have no qualms that we made the appropriate decision two years ago even though the choice was difficult and agonising.</p> <p>Many fellow Malaysians have no alternative but to brush aside all the inconveniences. Many brave ones have embarked to fight against the issues and unfairness. I salute all these brave ordinary folk and wish that they have a copious amount of energies to carry them through.</p> <p>Two years ago, it had come to a juncture where I could no longer sweep all these tribulations under the rug and the eventuality was to go away. However, everyone has their own temperaments and beliefs. We would love to do something such as creating awareness for the betterment of Malaysia if we can find the platform and opportunity.</p> <p>Having lived Down Under for two years, it puzzled me why the systems here can be so efficiently coordinated and run. The councils and government are very much in control. Most importantly their feedback and replies are prompt and updated. Filing tax returns here is convenient and fast that I got my refund back within 14 days consistently for the past two years.</p> <p>Here, we could be paying more taxes but I get some back via the structured family assistance allowance, free medical benefit and very reasonable school fees, etc. Lately, we even obtained a stimulus payout from the tax office due to the effects of the economic downturn. These measures have received great appreciation from the people.</p> <p>The obvious question here is why can’t Malaysia adopt some of the systems so successful in place here. One need not be superhuman to get things going except dedication which Malaysia is so lacking. I can see that the Penang state government is starting to perk up the government delivery systems that are conspicuously missing in the Malaysian governance structure.</p> <p>Many of the systems in Malaysia are more form than substance. One of the most important components that is noticeably missing is the integration between the different government bodies. Conversely, this is so successful incorporated Down Under which has curtailed loopholes and acted as a check and balance mechanisms for the local government.</p> <p>Ordinary Malaysians would like to be treated uniformly. If there is any trace of the adverse happening, that would widen the disparity gap. What the government should be doing in my modest opinion is to have a mechanism to encourage the mediocre group to catch up and this should be attained not by protecting or spoon-feeding the group.</p> <p>The government should have a far-sighted view and not worry about temporary setbacks (not depend on opinion polls as they would go up when the end results are derived). Just like us, we were “compelled” to learn things in a hard way after we arrived in a new place.</p> <p>Initially it was hard but eventually we triumphed. Frankly, things are not so hard but politicians like to think in a complex manner. It is time for the Malaysia government to take stock and revert to basics else we could expect a change of the guard in four years time though it is probably too late now.</p> <p><strong>George CN Lee is a reader from Down Under (Australia).</strong></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-580448270922824312008-11-04T22:41:00.000-08:002008-11-04T22:43:21.985-08:00WHOM IT MAY CONCERN<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaQAV8OWfI9zPa1W4YSWJIA-yjzGiqr-A2DyQe-3mAyIw_rtxOAEN-LKe6glBaBNDbKOe50LZgTktDhykXzkaYfHfnmdAKvXFpGMlxljKlNwS3HJTY42wAhTIZoIFfxMqdA_6NDic2d63/s1600-h/darkforestcopy1qe2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 265px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUaQAV8OWfI9zPa1W4YSWJIA-yjzGiqr-A2DyQe-3mAyIw_rtxOAEN-LKe6glBaBNDbKOe50LZgTktDhykXzkaYfHfnmdAKvXFpGMlxljKlNwS3HJTY42wAhTIZoIFfxMqdA_6NDic2d63/s400/darkforestcopy1qe2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5265060274724235058" border="0" /></a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-35544239126710790662008-09-15T00:34:00.000-07:002008-09-15T01:44:41.306-07:00A duck walks into a bar.<span style="font-family:arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;">I took this from <a href="http://www.joke-of-the-day.com/jokes/duck-walks-bar">joke-of-the-day.com</a>, and it linked me to two guys in Malaysia.</span><br /><span style="font-family:Arial;"></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;font-size:85%;"><em>A duck walks into a bar and asks: "Got any Bread?"</em></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Barman says: "No."<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Duck says: "Got any bread?"<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Barman says: "No."<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Duck says: "Got any bread?"<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Barman says: "No, we have no bread."<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Duck says: "Got any bread?"<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Barman says: "No, we haven't got any bread!"<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Duck says: "Got any bread?"<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Barman says: "No, are you deaf?! We haven't got any bread, and if you ask me again and I'll nail your dang beak to the bar you irritating dang duck!"<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Duck says: "Got any nails?"<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Barman says: "No"<br /></span></em><br /><em><span style="font-size:85%;">Duck says: "Got any bread?</span></em><br /><br />(Who is the duck, and who is the barman then?)</span><br /></span>MingSenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03904895193921982264noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-87896772491341754472008-09-12T19:58:00.001-07:002008-09-12T19:58:51.824-07:00Religion DebatasOne look at the press release, no further reading is required. It is obviously a religion <a target="_new" href="http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/9/13/nation/2019980&sec=nation">debate</a>.Brandon Teohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782065687084631301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-48113907408837340882008-08-07T20:36:00.000-07:002008-08-07T20:42:42.191-07:00Senior Citizens of SelangorThe assistance to senior citizens in Selangor is to give a little relief to families and pensioners especially at our rising cost of living.<br /><br />MBPJ has started a free bus service for senior citizens at particular routes. Also, Dr Xavier Jayakumar (Exco for Caring Society) would welcome any further suggestions to improve the quality of life of senior citizens.<br />You may forward your suggestions to his office at 5th Floor, Bangunan SSAAS, 40000 Shah Alam.<br /><br />As for grants for the Senior Citizen Club - one can make an application to the ADUN as well as MBPJ. I believe the max grant for clubs and persatuan in an ADUN's area is up to RM2500.<br /><br />The information as detailed below is accurate.<br /><br />Senior citizens who are 60 years old and above to apply their allowance only once in a life time which is at RM3,500.00.<br /><br />Procedure as follow:-<br /><br />1) fill in the form<br /><br />2) attach a copy of your parents i/c<br /><br />3) submit to S.U.K. Shah Alam (in front of IPK Polis).<br /><br />4) RM500.00 will release to your parents after submission (in short time period they will get it).<br /><br />Government will update records and will arrange for interview with your parents for the will that balance RM3,000.00 to which children's account after they pass away. The above application just for senior citizen whoever stay in Selangor only.<br />You may submit the above application to S.U.K. Shah Alam on behalf of your parents.<br /><br />If you have any further inquiries, you may contact <strong>03-55447450</strong> to find out more details.<br /><br /><br />Elizabeth Wong<br />ADUN Bukit LanjanUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-81992067260534446572008-08-05T00:42:00.000-07:002008-08-05T00:45:05.927-07:00RM45m city overtime bill<p style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size:100%;">KUALA LUMPUR:<br /></span></p><p style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size:100%;">A staggering RM45 million! That is the amount of City Hall overtime claims last year.</span></p><!--start pix2 & pix3--> <p style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size:100%;">The RM45 million that City Hall paid out to its 11,200 employees in 27 departments averages to RM4,017 per employee. And up to June this year, City Hall forked out RM31 million in overtime.<br /><br />The bulk of the claims was made by staff in three departments: petty traders management and development, health and licensing department and public works department.<br /><br />Kuala Lumpur Mayor Ab Hakim Borhan said the huge amount of overtime payment showed that there were some discrepancies in the management of the employees' schedules.</span></p><p style="font-size: 12px;"><span style="font-size:100%;">"It is our responsibility to ensure that the city is well kept and properly managed and that is the reason we allow our employees overtime claims. But that does not mean it should reach this level. There has been some poor management and staff scheduling.<br /><br />"Clocking in long hours doesn't necessarily mean that they are working. For all we know they could be coming into office to do other things apart from office work," he said.<br /><br />To counter the abuse of overtime claims, Hakim said City Hall would set up a task force to monitor the work schedules of all its staff.<br /><br />"Logically, if all the employees are working overtime, there shouldn't be any complaints against City Hall (from the public). There shouldn't be any problems with our reports and there would be no illegal activities in the city and enforcement would have been carried out in a proper manner."<br /><br />"Over the years City Hall has faced a lot of challenges which cover many aspects mainly the quality of work. However, I would like to emphasise one important aspect of City Hall which is playing the part as service provider.<br /><br />"Lately, the public has doubted our ability, reliability and integrity.<br />So, what is the basis of their doubts? Do they simply want to criticise our work?<br />I don't think so. I believe that city folk are mature enough to judge for themselves and express their doubts.<br /><br />"There have been a lot of reports in the newspapers criticising City Hall and the complaints keep piling up. This is not nice to see and the perception that the public has on City Hall is also not positive. So, I believe that we have to double our efforts and work harder," he said.<br /><br />"I hope that all City Hall employees and officers will change their culture so that City Hall can work towards making Kuala Lumpur a world class city," he said, after presenting certificates to 670 City Hall staff for excellent service.</span></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-76582759851076443482008-08-03T06:35:00.000-07:002008-08-03T06:37:29.816-07:00Simple Rules for Healthy LifeAccording to Dr. Mehmet Oz,<br /><br /><ul><li>Don't overeat, smoke or drink too much.</li><li>Exercise and diet</li><li>Daydream</li><li>Meditation</li><li>Men should exercise and eat well, to get better sex.</li></ul><br />Check out inside <a href="http://health.msn.com/health-topics/slideshow.aspx?cp-documentid=100211511&imageindex=1">human body</a>.Brandon Teohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782065687084631301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-15098616893557574412008-07-28T00:27:00.000-07:002008-07-28T00:42:02.583-07:00Petrol subsidy, what subsidy?Malaysians have been deceived for so long that we have been subsidized for our petrol. In fact we have been paying more than our fair share for our petrol. How is this? We need to look at the big picture of petrol prices, the price of cars, toll charges, per capita income and the cost and efficiency of public transportation.<br /><br />Let me make a simple comparison between Malaysia and Australia to show that we have been cheated all these years.<br /><br />1. Per capita income of Australia (USD35,990.00) is more than 6 times that of Malaysia (USD5,490.00) in 2006. (Source: World Bank)<br /><br />2. Starting pay of a graduate in Malaysia RM2,500.00 per month and in Australia AUD4,000.00 (RM12,000.00) per month.<br /><br />3. Price of one liter of petrol in Malaysia RM2.70 and in Australia AUD1.75 (RM5.25). The price differential is RM2.55 a liter.<br /><br />Assume we buy a similar new car in both countries, a 1.8L Honda Civic Auto cost RM110,000.00 in Malaysia and AUD24,000.00 (RM72,000.00) in Australia. That is a difference of RM38,000.00. If we divide the price differential of the car with the cost of petrol, 38,000/2.55=14,900 liters of petrol. This means that an owner of a Honda Civic will upon consuming the first 14,900 liters of petrol is actually not getting a single cent of subsidy from the government.<br /><br />The cost of a new Honda Civic in Malaysia is equivalent to 44 months salary of a fresh graduate. In Australia it is 6 months salary of a fresh graduate. It is a known fact that according to our previous Minister of MITI she openly admitted that the government is now dependent on car duty as an important source of government revenue.<br /><br />So where has the trillions of ringgit collected all these years gone?<br /><br />I was holidaying in Australia recently, we drove about 8,000 km from Melbourne to Perth and return, and guess what? No TOLL all the way. The road condition is similar to that of our Malaysian roads.<br />The state of public transportation in this country is a joke and the government will never improve public transportation as this will force Malaysians to buy the national car!<br /><br />If we look at the big picture it looks as if we Malaysians have been taken for a ride the Malaysian government all these years without realizing it. We have been fooled and conned by the Malaysian government into believing that the government has been so kind to us by subsidizing our petrol.<br /><br />The government treated the rakyat like bodoh, yes for 50 years the rakyat are suckers, but, come the next election is pay back time. Then, you see who is the real "sucker".Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-50635288849497218282008-07-25T00:27:00.000-07:002008-07-25T00:32:27.934-07:00Millions paid to RM650 company<p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">LONDON : The Youth and Sports Ministry entered into a multi-million ringgit agreement to host a football tournament with a company with a paid-up capital of just RM650 and accumulated losses exceeding RM6.5 million.</span></p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;"> If it had carried out a due diligence test, as is required by practice and convention, before entering into an agreement involving such a big amount of money, it certainly would not have parted with RM17 million as "bidding fees" to host the Champions Youth Cup (CYC) tournament last year. And certainly, it would not have parted with RM8 million as "advance" for this year’s tournament, which has since been aborted.</span></p><p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">For the record, the tournament held in four venues was a failure in terms of crowd support, gate collections and television viewership, despite promises of "Malaysia being mentioned several hundred times in international dispatches".</span></p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">Both the ministry and the London-based Gifted Group Ltd are now embroiled in a controversy over the now-aborted tournament after the Football Association of Malaysia (FAM) refused to sanction the tournament. Both Gifted and the ministry have threatened to sue each other for breach.</span></p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">All this could have been avoided if only officials in the ministry had carried out checks.</span></p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">Gifted Group’s Jonathan James Price and former youth and sports minister Datuk Seri Azalina Othman Said had always maintained that the monies paid to the company were "bidding fees" but nowhere in the world does any country "bid" to host any tournament for three consecutive years.</span></p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">But an examination of Gifted Group’s filings with the Companies House here (the equivalent of Companies Commission of Malaysia) revealed that the RM17 million from Malaysia may have pulled Gifted Group out of financial trouble. </span> </p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">According to its accounts, it had accumulated losses of £1.044 million as of June 30, 2006. No further returns have been filed.</span></p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">Price holds 74% of the shares (the other 26% being held by Indigo Holdings Ltd) and has six other subsidiaries of which only one – Gifted Management Ltd – is active. It, too, incurred losses of £58,000 (RM375,000) in 2005, which was carried forward the following year although records show there was no trading or transactions.</span></p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">The records also show that the company has an outstanding loan of £600,000 (RM3.8 million) from an unnamed investor at an interest of 2% per annum. Interest due was £46,358 (RM299,000) and was to be settled on or before Nov 8 last year. The CYC was launched on March 16, 2007 and the tournament held in August. There have been no subsequent filings of company accounts.</span></p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">Efforts by the Sun to seek comments from Gifted Group drew a blank as it is operating from an office suite complex in upmarket central London, a stone’s throw from Parliament House, to which access is restricted by receptionists who control access to all offices there.</span></p> <p style="font-size:12px;"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:100%;">Reached by phone from the reception at the ground floor, Price’s secretary, someone who gave her name as Marissa, said her boss was out of town. They have yet to return calls to the Sun.</span></p><p style="font-size: 12px;"><br /></p><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><em style="font-size: 12px;"><strong style="font-size: 12px;">R. Nadeswaran and Terence Fernandez</strong></em></span></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-1357076912395945692008-07-22T20:46:00.000-07:002008-07-22T20:51:31.207-07:00Money - RM5 billion loss, more waste and losses<div class="asset-body"><div class="asset-body"> <div align="justify"><span style=";font-family:'lucida sans unicode';font-size:11;" >The Government of Dato Seri Abdullah Badawi has lost billions of Ringgit by cancelling the bridge project to replace the causeway, postponing the double-tracking and electrification of the North-South railway and the sale of M.V. Agusta by Proton.<br /><br />The Government had also wasted money - RM2 billion in Terengganu.<br /><br />Thinking that he had the right to use <i>Wang Ehsan</i>, the royalty from Petronas to the State of Terengganu totalling more than five billion Ringgit over several years Dato Seri Abdullah together with Dato Seri Idris Jusoh, the former Menteri Besar of Terengganu went on a spending spree.<br /><br /></span></div></div> <div class="asset-more" id="more"> <div align="justify"><span style=";font-family:'lucida sans unicode';font-size:11;" >Without any proper study and planning, without bothering about the rules and regulations about how Government money should be allocated and used, Dato Seri Abdullah and Dato Seri Idris and their cronies spent huge sums of the "Wang Ehsan" on a theme park (Crystal Mosque), Monsoon Cup, development of Setiu etc etc. More than two billion Ringgit were poured into Terengganu.<br /><br />Then in 2008, Barisan Nasional won and Abdullah happily decided to spend more of the Wang Ehsan on fancy projects.<br /><br />Unfortunately the Sultan of Terengganu refused to have Idris Jusoh as Menteri Besar. It was a slap in the face for Abdullah when he was forced to accept the Sultan's nominee as Menteri Besar.<br /><br />This new Menteri Besar insisted that the royalty due to Terengganu should be paid to the State and the State should manage the fund.<br /><br />This was as it should be. But the Menteri Besar insisted that what was spent before this in building the theme park, organising the Monsoon Cup etc worth about RM 2 billion was not from the royalty due to Terengganu. It was from Federal fund.<br /><br />He demanded that the full amount of royalty over the years should be paid to Terengganu.<br /><br />So RM2 billion of Federal funds have been expended on Terengganu, the richest State in Malaysia.<br /><br />Failing this Terengganu has a court case initiated by the PAS Government which the BN State Government has not withdrawn.<br /><br />The Federal Government will now have to find some RM5 billion to give to Terengganu. Where is this money going to come from? Obviously from the Federal Consolidated Fund.<br /><br />Basically the Federal Government will lose RM5 billion because it had assumed that a tame Terengganu Menteri Besar would collaborate in some of the most wasteful projects for the State and the country.<br /><br />I am told that a Disneyland designer was engaged to design the "Crystal Mosque" and theme park. Must cost a lot.<br /><br />Some contractors made tons of money getting projects without proper processes.<br /><br /></span></div></div></div> <div class="asset-more" id="more"><em style="font-size:12px;"><span class="byline vcard">Dr. Mahathir Mohamad</span></em></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-76802472719097074652008-07-21T00:42:00.000-07:002008-07-21T00:56:53.044-07:00Double Standard - Malaysian Education Sucks!!Education Minister, Datuk Seri Hishammudin Tun Hussein’s son is doing O’ levels and will be going off to the United Kingdom this coming September to further his studies.<br /><br />Deputy Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s daughter, Nooryana Najwa has been accepted into Georgetown University in Washington DC to read politics and international relations after doing her IB (International Baccalaureate).<br /><br />Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein and Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak’s children are academically smart. However, it seems like both of them did not sit for SPM.<br />Before doing her IB, Nooryana had her education in Garden International School. Najib’s son, Norashman Razak had his education there too.<br /><br />But Garden International School bases its curriculum on the National Curriculum of England. It teaches the English National Curriculum through Key Stages 1 to 4 and Cambridge ‘A’ Level.<br /><br />So why weren’t Datuk Seri Najib’s and Datuk Seri Hishamuddin’s children following the Malaysian Education System? Were our DPM and current Education Minister trying to be kind to not let the government subsidize their kids’ education by sending their offsprings to a private school instead of national schools?<br /><br />Or is it that both Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak and Datuk Seri Hishamuddin Tun Hussein do not have confidence in the Malaysian Education System because it is too crap that they had to sent their kids to a private school which follows the English National Curriculum so that their kids would not be screwed up by the already screwed-up education system in Malaysia?<br /><br />Why didn’t your kids go through like anybody else, SPM, then Matriculation or STPM before gaining admission to Uni.<br /><br />Here, you government expect our kids to fight among ourselves to gain entry into local universities and make us believe in our Malaysian Education System, there, you guys send your kids overseas at the expense of the Govt.<br /><br />This is practising double standard.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-30961128103194840792008-07-20T19:48:00.000-07:002008-07-21T00:19:23.163-07:00BASTARDS NEVER LEARN<em>When the rakyat are suffering, these scumbags can still afford to enjoy life...</em><br /><em></em><br />No oil royalty was used to purchase 14 Mercedes E200 Kompressors at RM3.43 million as official cars for Terengganu executive councillors and senior state government officials, according to Menteri Besar Datuk Ahmad Said.<br /><br />In defending the state government's decision to purchase the expensive cars to replace the Proton Perdana V6 Executive cars for the same official use, he said it was meant to save cost in the long run as the maintenance of the Proton Perdana cars was too high."We are not saying that the national car is not good, but the reality is that in less than two years of use, the cars had to be repaired due to faulty components like the gear box.<br />"For example, the car used by the Trade, Industry and Environment Committee chairman Toh Chin Yaw had been repaired twice costing RM50,000. But the Merdeces cars, although expensive to purchase, will incur us less maintenance cost in the long term," he explained.<br /><br />Ahmad was asked by reporters about the reported purchase of the Mercedes cars, after attending a 'tahlil' function held in conjunction with the birthday of the Terengganu Sultan, Tuanku Mizan Zainal Abidin, at Istana Maziah here, Sunday.<br />The function was also attended by Terengganu Regency Advisory Council member Tengku Sri Laksamana Raja Tengku Sulaiman Sultan Ismail Nasiruddin Shah, state executive councillors and state assemblymen.<br />Ahmad said the purchase of the Mercedes E200 cars was financed by a sum allocated earlier by the state government and not by oil royalty."How could we use the oil royalty when we have not even received it from the federal government?" he said.-- BERNAMAjohn_hohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959932535448576731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-66548240908013038132008-07-17T00:11:00.000-07:002008-07-17T00:20:15.580-07:00US Election's effects on Drugs Companies<span class="zemanta-img" style="margin: 1em; float: right; display: block;"><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CarlVenneANDBarackObama-May19-2008.JPG"><img src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/3/30/CarlVenneANDBarackObama-May19-2008.JPG" alt="Crow Tribal Council Chairperson Carl Venne and..." style="border: medium none ; display: block;" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="margin: 1em 0pt 0pt; display: block;">Image via <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:CarlVenneANDBarackObama-May19-2008.JPG">Wikipedia</a></span></span>From emails.<br /><br />Obama’s Nasty Effect on Pharmaceutical Companies<br /><br />By Charles Delvalle<br /><br />Some of the most solid opportunities in the stock market are those that happen because of politics. Let’s face it, the government controls billions of dollars and could make or break industries. The effect an Obama presidency could have on Pharmaceutical companies is one you should be well aware of.<br /><br />As many of you may know, Barack Obama (and democrats in general) is in favor of importing medicines from overseas, allowing the government to negotiate lower prices with drug companies, and increasing the use of generics. Sounds good for us, but not for big pharmaceutical companies.<br /><br />First, if the use of generics increases, that means big pharmaceutical companies will make less sales. Second, drug companies charge Americans up to two times more for medicine than European or Canadians. If they have to cut those profits in half because the U.S. negotiated lower prices, that means they receive less profits. If they receive fewer profits you can be sure that their stock prices will fall.<br />So do yourself a favor and stay away from pharmaceutical companies until after November 11.<br /><br />Adopted from Investors Daily<br /><br />The 2008 Election: What does it mean for drugmakers?<br />February 6, 2008<br />By Maureen Martino<br /><br />The winner of the 2008 election will be faced with making key decisions on a number of issues important to drug developers. Questions as to whether there will be more federal funding for stem cell research, a faster path for biogenerics, or a change to the structure of the nation’s healthcare system will have to be addressed by the next president, and how they tackle those issues will have serious repercussions for the industry. Here’s a look at the front-runners’ stance on several topics vital to the biotech and pharmaceutical industries.<br /><br />Barack Obama supports:<ul><br /><li>Reimportation of drugs<br /></li><li>Greater generic drug use by Medicare, Medicade, ect<br /></li><li>Establishing a government institute for comparative research between drugs.<br /></li><li>Allowing the government to purchase prescription drugs in bulk to reduce costs.<br /></li><li>Universal healthcare<br /></li><li>Embryonic stem cell (ESC) research</li></ul><br /><br />Hilary Clintion supports:<ul><br /><li>Doubling NCI and NHC funding<br /></li><li>Increaseing the number of patients involved in cancer clinical trials.<br /></li><li>A pathway for biogenerics<br /></li><li>Lower prescription drug costs and universal health care<br /></li><li>Giving Medicare the power to negotiate prescription drug prices<br /></li><li>Stricter control of drug advertising<br /></li><li>ESC research</li></ul><br /><br />John McCain supports:<br /><li>A pathway to approve biogenerics<br /></li><li>An increase use of generic drugs<br /></li><li>Reimportation of drugs<br /></li><li>Allowing the government to negotiate lower prices for prescription drugs for the Medicare Part D program<br /></li><li>ESC research </li><div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/98b68421-286a-4a5c-bf80-941b818f2677/" title="Zemified by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_e.png?x-id=98b68421-286a-4a5c-bf80-941b818f2677" alt="Zemanta Pixie" /></a></div>Brandon Teohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782065687084631301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-29079067838004322492008-07-15T21:36:00.000-07:002008-07-15T21:38:32.448-07:00High time our King steps inWe have been experiencing internal turmoil after the general election on March 8. Its crystal clear that the current ruling party, Umno, is manipulating the police force merely to give itself full protection.<br /><br />To achieve their (BN) objective to remain in power, they are now dragging in our army. All this wrongdoing needs be corrected by someone who is above all of us, and that is our King.<br />The King is the right person to intervene to diffuse the political tension once and for all.<br />Our BN government is not much different from the junta which administers Burma except that they (the junta) run the army and we are run by the police.<br />The main task of the police is to keep the country in order but here they are creating more chaos for example Monday’s road blocks.<br /><br />It’s high time that our King interferes to make things right before the rakyat reacts. We are treated like fools by the ruling government and no one is coming to rescue us.<br />I appeal to our King to please come forward to correct the situation as well as to return the country’s balance.john_hohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17959932535448576731noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-779391563376535632008-07-13T23:36:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:52:15.241-08:00Pak Li can oneBreaking News!! Check this out!!<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrONfChjIr81ysi4G9uZXN4-T18l7irbKnwiFJvT4KGgPwQy_8f1i58uad2c6ICl03MKJKAL0CpDmWmZ2QR-4_RAf4WZQ_SLakGeFhN2qCrKxAuDcWITj70av92ULfeezqPQtPokc37url/s1600-h/PakLi.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5222755108531049218" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrONfChjIr81ysi4G9uZXN4-T18l7irbKnwiFJvT4KGgPwQy_8f1i58uad2c6ICl03MKJKAL0CpDmWmZ2QR-4_RAf4WZQ_SLakGeFhN2qCrKxAuDcWITj70av92ULfeezqPQtPokc37url/s400/PakLi.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />You think the Govt can subsidize so can our<br />friendly neighbourhood kopitiam "Pak Li".<br /><br />I suggest you guys who likes to hang out at<br />mamak (cut throat buggers) or kopi shop (kiasu)<br />to patronize "Pak Li Kopitiam",<br />cheap, clean and nice environment,<br />and you know what<br />free "Wi-fi" also man..Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-5974507719805545312008-07-13T20:56:00.000-07:002008-07-13T21:04:10.171-07:00Clowns with suit in the marketWe have two clowns in our parliament - one is the Kinabatangan MP Bung Mokhtar and the other Ibrahim Ali (Independent). They love to talk and do silly things in parliament in order to gain the attraction of the media..<br /><br />One shows an <strong>obscene hand gesture</strong> shamelessly and feels so proud that he has done something wonderful while the other talks so much about <strong>one male goat giving service to eighty female goats</strong> in Kelantan.<br /><br />What have these two things got to do with Parliament? The people`s representatives are there to talk and debate on important issues regarding the country but the two clowns have turned this place into an entertainment centre.<br />Malaysian voters should be wise enough to cast their votes in the next GE. We should not be wasting money on these jokers who are there to make fun and thus giving the country a bad image.<br />People who cannot contribute positively to the country should not be there at all.<br /><br />kaisimUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-3584485651192578192008-07-03T01:24:00.000-07:002008-07-03T01:44:36.705-07:00Watermelon Replaces ViagraMelon <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080703/ap_on_he_me/watermelon_viagra_effect">anyone</a> ?<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:130%;" >"Watermelons contain an ingredient called citrulline that can trigger production of a compound that helps relax the body's blood vessels, similar to what happens when a man takes Viagra, said scientists in Texas, one of the nation's top producers of the seedless variety."<br /></span><br />You can divide it to more than four pieces..<br /><br />Watermelon juice may <a href="http://biz.yahoo.com/ap/080703/oil_prices.html">rise above $144 per barrel</a>.Brandon Teohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782065687084631301noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-9628528508886907242008-07-02T21:10:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:52:15.427-08:00An Eyeful Keeps The Doctor Away!Via emails...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJuqWtbxS315uHdIC27MQVpCbU40XgDNZPWi74jxvO3kjTf-2KFIIz4qV-SjQQpEHUOVyNL-I8DStIaeGz8PUw-bgKOT7PE8FHD6J9PQv0rDAPDOXBzJ9QUA1F6S-VXPRPSACVQkl3SJDY/s1600-h/image002.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJuqWtbxS315uHdIC27MQVpCbU40XgDNZPWi74jxvO3kjTf-2KFIIz4qV-SjQQpEHUOVyNL-I8DStIaeGz8PUw-bgKOT7PE8FHD6J9PQv0rDAPDOXBzJ9QUA1F6S-VXPRPSACVQkl3SJDY/s400/image002.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5218641231524983698" border="0" /></a><br /><br />Check out some references <a href="http://www.flatrock.org.nz/topics/intellect_and_entertain/do_you_see_what_eye_mean.htm">here</a> and <a target="_new" href="http://dubaiforums.com/ar/an-eyeful-a-day-keeps-the-docter-away-by-jonathan-hayter-1-9279.htm">here</a><br /><br />Who is <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/pdp/profile/A2VLOCO3Q6WKLN">Jonathan Hayter</a> ?Brandon Teohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782065687084631301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-71091629772709882352008-06-30T20:15:00.000-07:002008-06-30T23:38:12.186-07:00A recipe a dayHi all,<br />Summer is finally here and I thought why not start with a chilled soup and<br />Here bit is...<br /><br /><strong>GAZPACHO Soup</strong> - Spanish traditional soup<br />This is the classic chilled soup, originating from Spain. There are many variants of this soup but this is the simplest most 'peasant' variation, going back to the soup's roots, in effect.<br />Ingredients:<br /><ul><li>2 slices day old bread, with crusts removed</li><li>4 large ripe tomatoes, blanched, peeled and seeded</li><li>2 small green peppers, de-seeded and chopped</li><li>1 small cucumber, chopped</li><li>1 small onion chopped</li><li>3 garlic cloves, roughly chopped</li><li>6 tbsp sherry vinegar</li><li>6 tbsp extra virgin olive oil, salt, black pepper and lemon juice, to season </li></ul>Method:<br />Soak the bread in just enough water to cover. Meanwhile add the tomatoes, bellpeppers, onion, garlic and cucumber to a blender and blitz to a smooth purée (add a little water and process in small batches, if necessary).<br />Squeeze a little of the excess water from the bread then add to the blender along with the sherry vinegar and oil. Render to a smooth paste (adding as much extra water as necessary). Tip the soup into a bowl and season with salt, lemon juice and black pepper, as necessary.<br />Place the soup in a bowl and chill well. Serve garnished with a swirl of olive oil and chopped tomatoes, red bell pepper, cucumber, onion and a few croutons.<br /><br />Courtesy by our good friend,<br /><br />Chef GillUnknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-72839727618643226582008-06-30T19:08:00.000-07:002008-06-30T19:14:11.688-07:00EATING FRUITS...Crucial Knowledge!<span class="zemanta-img" style="margin: 1em; float: right; display: block;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/99639477@N00/2598209973"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2035/2598209973_7784465662_m.jpg" alt="order restored" style="border: medium none ; display: block;" /></a><span class="zemanta-img-attribution" style="margin: 1em 0pt 0pt; display: block;">Image by <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/99639477@N00/2598209973" target="_blank">zenilorac</a> via Flickr</span></span>EATING FRUIT (via emails)<br /><br />We all think eating fruits means just buying fruits, cutting it and just popping it into our mouths.. It's not so easy as you think. It's important to know how and when to eat.<br /><br />What is the correct way of eating fruits?<br />IT MEANS NOT EATING FRUITS AFTER YOUR MEALS! *<br />FRUITS SHOULD BE EATEN ON AN EMPTY STOMACH.<br /><br />If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role to detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss and other life activities.<br /><br />FRUIT IS THE MOST IMPORTANT FOOD.<br /><br />Let's say you eat two slices of bread and then a slice of fruit.. The slice of fruit is ready to go straight through the stomach into the intestines, but it is prevented from doing so.<br /><br />In the meantime the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit omes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to<br />spoil.<br /><br />So please eat your fruits on an empty stomach or before your meals! You have heard people complaining - every time I eat water-melon I burp, when I eat durian my stomach bloats up, when I eat banana I feel like running to the toilet etc - actually all this will not arise if you eat the fruit on an empty stomach. The fruit mixes with the putrefying other food and produces gas and hence you will bloat!<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold; font-style: italic;">Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes all these will not happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach.</span><br /><br />There is no such thing as some fruits like orange and lemon are acidic because all fruits become alkaline in our body, according to Dr. Herbert Shelton who did research on this matter.<br /><br />If you have mastered the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.<br /><br />When you need to drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't even drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.<br /><br />But eating a whole fruit is better than drinking the juice. If you should drink the juice, drink it mouthful by mouthful slowly, because you must Let it mix with your saliva before swallowing it.<br /><br />You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you ook!<br /><br />KIWI: Tiny but mighty. This is a good source of potassium, magnesium, Vitamin E and fiber. Its Vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.<br /><br />APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away?<br />Although an apple has a low Vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which nhances the activity of Vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.<br /><br />STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessels-clogging free radicals.<br /><br />ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2 -4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.<br /><br />WATERMELON: Coolest Thirst Quencher Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the> cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are Vitamin C & Potassium.<br /><br />GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for Vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high Vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.<br /><br />Drinking Cold water after meal = Cancer! Can you believe this?? For those who like to drink cold water, this article is applicable to you. It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff that you have just consumed. It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and<br />lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.<br /><br />A serious note about heart attacks<br /><br />HEART ATTACK PROCEDURE': (THIS IS NOT A JOKE!)<br />Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack. Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms. 60% of<br />people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know, the better chance we could survive...<br /><br />A cardiologist says if everyone who gets this mail sends it to 10 people, you can be sure that we'll save at least one life. Read this...It could save your life!!<br /><br />Let's say it's 6.15 pm and you're driving home. Suddenly you start experiencing severe pain in your chest that starts to radiate out into your arm and up into your jaw. You are only about five<br />miles from the hospital nearest your home. Unfortunately you don't know if you'll be able to make it that far. You have been trained in CPR, but the guy that taught the course did not tell you how to perform it on yourself.<br /><br />'HOW TO SURVIVE A HEART ATTACK WHEN ALONE':<br /><br />Since many people are alone when they suffer a heart attack, without help, the person whose heart is beating improperly and who begins to feel faint, has only about 10 seconds left before losing consciousness.<br /><br />However, these victims can help themselves by coughing repeatedly and very vigorously. A deep breath should be taken before each cough, deep and prolonged, as when producing sputum from deep inside the chest.<br /><br />A breath and a cough must be repeated about every two seconds without let-up until help arrives, or until the heart is felt to be beating normally again.<br /><br />Deep breaths get oxygen into the lungs and coughing movements squeeze the heart and keep the blood circulating. The squeezing pressure on the heart also helps it regain normal rhythm. In this way, heart attack victims can get to a hospital.<br /><br /><br />Tell as many other people as possible about this. It could save their lives!!<div style="margin-top: 10px; height: 15px;" class="zemanta-pixie"><a class="zemanta-pixie-a" href="http://reblog.zemanta.com/zemified/324b09d4-b4c1-4ff2-b378-758733699789/" title="Zemified by Zemanta"><img style="border: medium none ; float: right;" class="zemanta-pixie-img" src="http://img.zemanta.com/reblog_a.png?x-id=324b09d4-b4c1-4ff2-b378-758733699789" alt="Zemanta Pixie" /></a></div>Brandon Teohhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00782065687084631301noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-87163687428889032142008-06-29T01:46:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:52:15.568-08:00"So nice, my precious"<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAteQYc41Oe3JYDDgtvVnplwPdrD1DRSu1Hy8f3zzlN1sr7EbqbU1aJNyTcsfdgczYsOzDz70cLEo2A8Bsg18mVx9bCfw3aMWTO6mCBSy4CpRfsHFbLTGMrw75L0MNSADlCzG_6UMUh4/s1600-h/saiful.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5217222342061117874" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkAteQYc41Oe3JYDDgtvVnplwPdrD1DRSu1Hy8f3zzlN1sr7EbqbU1aJNyTcsfdgczYsOzDz70cLEo2A8Bsg18mVx9bCfw3aMWTO6mCBSy4CpRfsHFbLTGMrw75L0MNSADlCzG_6UMUh4/s320/saiful.jpg" border="0" /></a> Saiful Bukhari Azlan (left in blue shirt) and Khairil Annas Jusoh (right) work for Deputy Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak.<br /><div></div>benni_thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391871408892119240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-75159921697232079682008-06-28T06:03:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:52:15.715-08:00PDRM’s computerisation program<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNOd88j2pe3Lai-UT2lTHqbAuNsH6Rqrswgv6cQUr51LXWn_y76N428ehRvd0tmYn6Q7fSzCGeHjNGAh1zejVb3ZgQrr5DtAxzI1xKwUjZ8Aik6tWEFkPbOctIkbh8T8oqung5floUc8/s1600-h/asiasoft2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216918670322540642" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinNOd88j2pe3Lai-UT2lTHqbAuNsH6Rqrswgv6cQUr51LXWn_y76N428ehRvd0tmYn6Q7fSzCGeHjNGAh1zejVb3ZgQrr5DtAxzI1xKwUjZ8Aik6tWEFkPbOctIkbh8T8oqung5floUc8/s200/asiasoft2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJl7rGfIT9Ct_cJwr3qL3MJEYBS83ya5tylZEqSEL7E2D-h5FU982hnKAXqtITF0Oo6Ms0rCH0tQs12L4ygWZh8u4pAgQrFJWkPGGzsEYYo3fN9MZhCLQbubtklU8hyphenhyphenIS0U8XEdON2kM/s1600-h/asiasoft1.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216918580041907682" style="FLOAT: left; MARGIN: 0px 10px 10px 0px; CURSOR: hand" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZJl7rGfIT9Ct_cJwr3qL3MJEYBS83ya5tylZEqSEL7E2D-h5FU982hnKAXqtITF0Oo6Ms0rCH0tQs12L4ygWZh8u4pAgQrFJWkPGGzsEYYo3fN9MZhCLQbubtklU8hyphenhyphenIS0U8XEdON2kM/s200/asiasoft1.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaYZoSjCgJZagN6kAXgQ2eefcpvz-n3TG4_NZi492jBVMBTtM7pX-8TeZTRTgV1pz_GxQlhqdKL9thvdnFQpj9RxY4Mj71KF3euwDfW931KgfBiyZaXJcgpBEYhcRcz2xXocf9eISNCjQ/s1600-h/asiasoft2.jpg"></a><br /><br /><br /><div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhabnWDDW3os6HkWGmECOhjHwpmscZx39ugrSFATp-fgfvJwFYK1ldSWRh9dGSMy2unJ3EPhotfRrCwKuE6kWOk3PMmKvp0XGpvncsfbUTX6VxqUqU9XmT9PY8blBKwqnYCDKuOaWHcViM/s1600-h/asiasoft2.jpg"></a></div><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj63fnI-Xb46T0y03ht8yx_4qx62ZM1s4kUbdn6k3UwU_oh7IsHkiV3qoKiUNbQFpbz2l4W-arPl3jIWdCI77BuuVoAU9eNRKpuArUujAyn0FO1HcwCfl8ia-7BUs2cFgCpI0xHOpGd0TU/s1600-h/asiasoft1.jpg"></a><br /><br /></div><br /><br /><br /><br /><div></div></div></div></div>benni_thttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01391871408892119240noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2573843216419947301.post-14194367947498504372008-06-25T20:42:00.000-07:002008-12-08T16:52:15.880-08:00So this how we treat our neighbours..<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVa6exRKefUEQ7l7yydgImlBcnwe898nXMgsKIrBg3DOzLf0m45KZGhEqoPp_0bO1G8IqJx_1BIrdULj1DQB1DkOdPwlGX2skHHyDUJfPZNan1m4X0hFn_l2DKUkfP-i8YDw4w1AaGSekC/s1600-h/foreignpump2.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5216031146225293970" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; CURSOR: hand; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVa6exRKefUEQ7l7yydgImlBcnwe898nXMgsKIrBg3DOzLf0m45KZGhEqoPp_0bO1G8IqJx_1BIrdULj1DQB1DkOdPwlGX2skHHyDUJfPZNan1m4X0hFn_l2DKUkfP-i8YDw4w1AaGSekC/s400/foreignpump2.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><div></div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0