I Golf (Barely) Therefore I Am

I am bored

2010-08-13T13:38:00.002+08:00

It has been a long long time since I blogged on this site.

Frankly I am bored, and sleepy... and horny.

So today I spied a Russian gal who works in the building. She's quite hot, bod wise, and she wore capri pants today that hugged her nice round ass.. and best of all, no VPL, so probably wearing a thong or not at all.

Sadly, I am still bored and sleepy.

Once in a long time: Anwar Sodomy II

2010-05-13T13:38:00.001+08:00

Wow, it has been a very long while since I logged on and blogged.

But I tell you this Anwar Sodomy trial has some real funny shitz (no pun intended, altho I must it's a good one!)

It is just so hilarious that you know the Courts are biased if Anwar get thrown in jail for it.

Case in point:

1) Saiful did not understand the meaning of sodomized, and made a mistake reporting that he was first sodomized in KL, but then when he took to the stand, he said he was butt fucked by Anwar in HKG and elsewhere.

Hello, how many different ways can you get butt fucked? You have 1 butthole, and if rather than shit coming out, you have something poking in... then you kena butt fucked alreadylah.

2) He went to see Najib for a Mara Loan to take up flying lessons.

I can't believe Najib would have the time to meet everyone who wanted to discuss Mara Loans with him. For god's sake, he has a country to run down.. opp I meant run. Imagine every tom dick and harry.. naww abdullah, saiful, and ahmad going to see the PM to discuss Mara Loan.. wah sure die one.

And plus this guy is a drop-out, he ain't got the brains to fly a plane. Would probably stand so close to the propeler and get his arse shredded, so stand in front of a jet engine with his dick hanging out becos he missed getting a blowjob! I've got advance technical degrees and I couldn't pass muster to fly as a pilot cadet for our national airline, what more a drop out like him?

3) he din't shower for 2 days before he finally went to get examined, and neither did he pass motion.

Hey, did anyone of you see Zack and Miri make a porno? Remember the scene where the lady was about to do the anal dance and said well might as well since she was constipated.. and lo and behold in the midst of taking it up the bum, she shat out her shit (on to the poor cameraman, it was simultenously funny and revolting!)

Now I can't say I've done the anal dance with anyone, or got the anal dance done on me, but I think conventional wisdom would say that once your arse has been opened up, pretty sure you'd wanna shit!

And plus he didn't shower for 2 whole fuckin days! Imagine how smelly he'd be!

4) Finally the coup de grace. An able bodied 20+ year old man being butt fucked by a 60+ year old man with a bad back.

Saiful, shame on you. You should not call yourself a man (or a wo-man). U want us to fly to the moon beliveing that you were unable to fight a 60 year old man who wanted to butt fuck you? COme one man.. excuse me, you need a hand squeezing your stupid cock after peeing? or can u do that yourself.

I really have to say, even the best script-writers can get paid enough money to think up this cockamamie story. Only the Malaysian politicians and their stupid-ass cronies all wanting to suck their bosses dicks would think up of such a stupid scenario!

UNBELIEVABLE!

I am SOO MADDD

2010-02-03T15:37:00.003+08:00

WTF is wrong with Malaysian politicians, especially those from arses in UMNO?

I read this and it just got my blood boiling.

From Malaysian Insider:

KUALA LUMPUR, Feb 3 — Perkasa president Datuk Ibrahim Ali defended Datuk Nasir Safar’s controversial remarks today, and suggested that non-Malay political leaders and Chinese-language newspapers had provoked the “emotional reaction” by the prime minister’s special officer.

“Now you are talking about Nasir Safar, but if you read Chinese newspapers, listen to the speeches, they are worse and look also at how DAP leaders dared to step on pictures of Malay leaders,” said Ibrahim referring to the incident in Ipoh last year when pictures of former PKR lawmakers Jamaluddin Radzi and Osman Jailu were turned into doormats outside the entrance of the Perak DAP convention.

“I understand why Nasir said that, I can symphatise with him, I want to say the same things but I have to control myself, I am more mature now,” said Ibrahim.

Nasir was forced to resign as Datuk Seri Najib Razak’s special officer yesterday after he allegedly called non-Malays “pendatang” and said that “Indians came to Malaysia as beggars and Chinese especially the women came to sell their bodies” at a 1 Malaysia seminar in Malacca.

Najib’s office has also quickly disassociated the PM from Nasir’s remarks.

Nasir also allegedly threatened to revoke the citizenships of Indians for making excessive demands on the government.

“Maybe Nasir is still young, perhaps he has been reading some offensive blog postings, and Facebook messages which resulted in his outburst,” Ibrahim told The Malaysian Insider.

“People like Nasir are fighters so maybe he felt he had to say it,” he added.

He added Nasir’s resignation as announced by the Prime Minister’s Office yesterday after reports surfaced is not an issue.

“I don’t want to comment on his resignation. It is not the issue. Nasir is just an individual. We must understand why he acted that way,” said Ibrahim.

Nasir attempted to play down the incident yesterday by saying that he was only giving a talk on the nation’s history.

His remarks at the 1 Malaysia seminar in Malacca had caused unhappiness among MCA and MIC leaders who walked out of the meeting.

1. the DAP leadership did not step on the photos of those lompat katak areses in Perak.

2. How did a talk on Malaysian history degenerate into Indians come to beg and the Chinese came to prostitute themselves. Where the F**K did Nasir learnt his history?

3. And perhaps you were baited, but F**K, you are an elected member of the legislature, why don't you F**KIN act like one instead of some potatohead gangster with an IQ of a rock?

4. They should lock up Ibrahim and Nasir and throw away the key.

I have a lot of Malay friends and I do hope that none of them are as degenerate as those two for I will be very sad if they became like that.

Yeah it's been awhile but I need to vent

2010-01-11T14:50:00.002+08:00

Like the title says it, it's been awhile.

But I need to vent. Have you ever met someone (not romantically, but in the work context) who just completely not understand what you are proposing and mushes it up with conversation he hears during the meeting and thus, comes up with a cockamamie hare-brained reply?

Well, I just had one of those conversations!

To give you a bit of background, this guy I know had approached me late last year to see if I'd be interested in working for him and help him get some of his products to the market. There's a whole ton of work to be done, but it'll be done by 3rd party people and he just needs someone to pull it all together. I, at the time, was not looking for full time work, but more for something to fill time.

So after mulling it thru, I gave him a proposal and through the discussion, I declared to him (as a "friend") that

a) it will not be full time, but more than 80% of my time will be for his work

b) it will not be forever, but before I do leave, I will find a replacement and get the newbie up to speed.

So through the course of discussing the proposal, he got to know what my full time rate was; which was higher than what I had proposed to him. And he said he needed the weekend to think it thru.

So I got a call today and he completely misses the point of the proposal! He can't afford my full time rate (which I already knew so I didn't even ask him to pay out), and he was worried about continuity (yes it would be tricky, but can be done).

So thanklessly I go through the proposal with him again, ie

1) he needs someone able to hit the ground running, and he don't have anyone yet.

2) I can hit the ground running, but have other commitments I need to see through, and plus I am awaiting for a potential job coming up in 3 - 6 months.

3) I am not asking for my full day rate, but offering a discounted rate.

And yet, he goes back to his hare-brained solution.

I wish him well, I really do, and it's a blessing as I don't think I can work for someone like that. Good luck chum, you're gonna need it.

KL Chickies and AWARE

2009-05-04T10:10:00.002+08:00

I spent the weekend in KL, and went to the Curve for a bit of shopping. My my, I'd saw the ladies there are every bit as happening as those here in Singapore.

On the way back, as I was filling up the gas tank, there was this ang moh bloke with a trophy chinese girlfriend, and of course, drving a sports car. THe girl was definitely trophy, and possible, quite good with her skills as well. She wore a white sun dress, white bra and most likely a white thong as well. Naturally, the Malay chaps at the station were crooning to catch a glimpse of skin.

Anyways, problem is that she didn't look at that great (in fact had a bit of bimbo look) and didn't help that she didn't know how to pump gas. She overfilled the tank till it came sloshing out! Perhaps something wrong with the pump, or like I said, her skills were not in pumping gas.

On another note, I have relieved that the AWARE women (old guard) have claimed back the society, as I think what the new guard did was sneaky. In fact, despite being pious Christians (or so they said), they did the ultimate sin. THey LIED (which great commandment was that?) about their true intentions for joining AWARE. Perhaps they had used an abridged version of the Holy Book which expoused that the ends justify the means, which if need be, going against some of the basic commandments of the religion.

Shameful!

And ladies, thank you for pushing back the encroaching religious (rather a certain sect of Christianity) views being imposed on social and even work places. I have no problems working with people of different races and religions than myself, that's what diversity is all about, but I draw the line when it comes to pushing one's religious vies on the organization or someone.

Nick and norah

2009-04-21T15:33:00.000+08:00

If you don't know i am talking about the movie Nick and norah's infinite playlist.

I think the mmovie rocks, and this is strange coming from a near-40 year old guy. And no i am not having a mid-life crises, or at least not to my knowledge.

Beside if i were, then the wifey would be happy since a movie (cheap) would satisfy my mid life crises as opposed to going out and buying a red car.

Anyways, i have it on video and have watched it like 4 x. I don't quite know why i like it so much, but i think the fluffy story line just jives with me.

You know the unassuming quiet guy wins the girl in the end. Gosh i am so soppy in that sense, but i guess i could relate since i was kinda quiet during my growing up years, especiall during secondary school.

But more, the music also rocks. I'm not much into indie music, preferring to smooth jazz, but i can definitely dig it. Kinda bring me back to my days of listening to REM in college.

But i just like the music, the movie and the characters in the movie so much.

Illegal getting a blowjob in Malaysia?

2009-02-25T15:21:00.002+08:00

I read with great amusement that the people aligned against Chua Soi Lek is reporting him to the cops for getting a blowjob or rather being taped getting blown in his infamous sex tape sting which caused him great embarassment and made him resign from his political positions.

Now, I tell you, who in Malaysia knows that getting oral sex is a crime? I want to see a show of hands of all the good citizens in Malaysia who knowingly refrain from putting a cock in their mouth, or a tongue to a pussy for that is against the law?

This is really really silly. I know plenty of women who love sucking on a cock and some even like to swallow the cum, and plenty of guys who love to eat some pussy and make their women squel in delight as they reach orgasm. So I think this law needs to be updated and reflect on the current times.

Even in uptight Singapore, they have gone as far as to legalize anal sex between 2 married, consenting, hetero-sexual couples because the law makers know that society is increasing tolerant of such forms of pleasure, although years back when the laws were written by uptight, don't get enough deviant sex lawmakers in Britian, it seemed to be taboo.

So come out guys, give Soi Lek a break. He's just a normal guy who wants to have his cock sucked by a member of the opposite sex.

If you want to take him out of the political scene, do it mano-a-mano; man to man, and not hide behind his unfortunate tape. Qouting Emmanuel Kant, the great philosopher "Do onto other as you would have them do onto you". So unless the guy reporting Soi Lek to the cops can swear in front their clergyman (or woman) that they have not gotten a blowjob, nor will they ever get a blowjo, or being eaten by a guy if a woman; then good for you.

So let's not take a double standard and accuse another of getting the same pleasure as oneself just because he was taped doing so.

And lawmakers, don't sit on the high horse on this because I can betcha, all of you (be it male or female) like to be pleasured orally.

So Soi Lek, I am behind you in this circumstances because I think they people reporting you to the cops are plain cowards and deserves to get their dicks lobbed off, since they object so violently to you getting a blow job.

How inconsiderate !!

2009-02-21T18:48:00.000+08:00

This is really so inconsiderate. This goes to show that this driver has no idea what so ever of what is a handicap parking lot.

Granted there are other empty handicap slots, but these parking slots are meant for the handicap. Imagine if everyone started doing this, and then where would the handicap people park!

This was snapped at IMM last night (20 feb) at around 8:30 pm.

Sent from my Nokia phone

PR and Perak in flames

2009-02-09T14:17:00.001+08:00

You know, I hate to side with BN, but you must give credit where credit due, this one to Najib for orchestrating the downfall of the Perak PR government. You know, I even think the Bota assemblyman was made to jump as a ploy for the PR machinery to trump their "win" and "destiny". Perhaps the BN intelligence has discovered PR's achilles heel, which is the need for publicity and the cult of personality.

As such I applaud the BN folks for being the ultimate Macchiavelli. Because it's didn't take much for the PR team to spiral into disarray, from going against the Sultan (which when the Raja Muda had made many comments about respecting the rule of law, the PR people lauded him for being far-sighted) and now, since the decision did not augur well for the PR government, all sorts of insinuation has been made about the Sultan of Perak, who is himself a a learned judge.

This I think is the fatal mistake of PR, the need for power. As they say, absolute power corrupts absolutely. I mean, even if you are not corrupt, this smacks of exactly the things that have made BN reviled among many Malaysians. Perhaps to their credit, the only ones keeping objective and quiet about this is LKS, LGE and the PAS leadership. Karpal and Anwar are fighting each other as much as they are fighting the powers that be in BN. I believe the recipe to agree to disagree that worked so well in KT needs to be kept in place and all there needs to be back-channels, away from the press soundbites, to sort out differences between all 3 component party.

I say, let BN take power and let the people decide. It will not be very long for them to become complacent and when PR takes over, it can truly say that the people have spoken.

Perfect Viewing

2009-02-06T12:07:00.002+08:00

It's been awhile since I went shopping for eye-candy.

I happened to be at one of my favorite spots in City Hall, and had time to kill while waiting for a meeting to commence.

I spy with my little eye (it got a bit bigger after I spotted this)..

A stunner, in high heels, tube dress, tight fitting, clingy material wearing a thong that clearly showed through her dress.

2 thumbs and one more up.

Then on another occasion, I saw this chick wearing black tights, and her black g clearly showed through. And a nice juicy piece of butt as well.

This morning, I caught snippets on the Morning Crew on Class 95 and they were talking about which part of the female anatomy do men like best.

For me, butt. Definitely butt.

How about you?

Lompat Adik Lompat

2009-02-06T11:56:00.002+08:00

What's happening in Perak is quite interesting, and reminds me of the old Malay puisi that goes like "Lompat Si Katak Lompat,... " and then I can't quite remember the rest.

But anyways, what amuses me most was that when the BN guy started all this leaping stuff, it was OK for the PR government who accepted him with open arms.

But now, that he and his gang has leaped back to BN, the PR guys are all up in arms.

Guys, you cannot hold the moral high ground if you cannot take what you dish. Come on, be strong. You should have told the guy to vacate his seat and call for a by-election. Only then do you have the moral high ground to tell the Sultan and the rest of the BN machinery off by asking for a snap elections.

Talk about the pot calling the kettle black! Politicians, when can we see a few more with a backbone or spine?

Observations from my recent trip.

2009-01-18T12:22:00.000+08:00

I had to travel to kl last week and I took the lcc for the price and the bus back to singapore.

One observation I made was that there seems to be some effimate guy stewards to serve on board and as ground staff for some of these carriers.

No offense to them, but it must be quite tough to be "different", especially in a society that does not take such differences lightly. Good that they are still productive workers.

What a 2008

2008-12-31T18:09:00.000+08:00

NOTHING HAPPENED

Which about sums it all up.

Nothing much to see, except in CBD, and I certainly know what I don't want to see : a mid age lady wearing transparent tights and a lace thong, which sadly gave me something to remember 2008 by.

Had a blast at the Kylie concert, and george benson concert. I had a few outings with friends and golf was even more forgettable with me hitting triple digits at every outing.

I became unemployed for the first time in my life, and continue to live my life as an unpaid self-employed entrepreneur.

So as you can see I can't wait for 2009 to come and I am seriously thinking to consulting a feng shui master to see how I can use additional forces to help me navigate 2009.

So to all of you making your way for a new year eve party, do gawk some on my behalf and here's to a good 2009!

Gow does he feed himself?

2008-11-30T16:23:00.000+08:00

Just curious

Minor rant

2008-11-25T11:10:00.000+08:00

Minor tirade coming on.

I am on facebook, and so is a gazillion other netizens. And I have a group of people I call as friends on fb.

I have this guy on my fb that constantly updates his "what are you doing now" hit on fb. I mean not like one a day but almost a few times a day. And it is usually this sort:
- xxx is hard at work
- xxx is working hard on cloud computing
- xxx just came back from meeting
- xxx is working hard in the toilet
- xxx is going to work
- xxx is in kl for work

I mean wtf, if he's got so much time to go onto fb to update his status, his employer is not getting the most out of this employee! In this current economic climate, I'd fire his assets in a jiffy!

And furthermore, who in their right mind would update on such things unless it is a way to compensate on his lack of work.

I am really unemployed, but officially designated as self-employed, and I can't fathom the silliness of updating my fb so frequently. I have long days and short days, but I just don't have time to log on to fb every few hours. Email yes, fb no.

But since today is special, I will go and update my status, and lol, it will not be about work.

30% not achieved after 30 years

2008-11-01T16:39:00.001+08:00

When will be achieved? Another 30 years, another 60 years, or will be be forever?

If you don't know what's this, it's the NEP and the Bumi ownership debate again. This time the guy who started the ball rolling was none other than the PM in waiting, Najib, who so casually mentioned that certain parts of the NEP will go, but did not give a specific timing.

Naturally, MCA and Gerakan then leapt to lend their support (or fall into his trap), Utusan (suprised?) then went ballistic on the MCA and Gerakan. Of course, UMNO's Muyidin also weighed in as the new DPM in waiting.

Simultaneously, PKR's Selangor MB appointed a chinese and lady at that to run PKNS as he tries to find the most suitable candidate for the job, after all, the lady has been in the job for 30 years, so you'd figure that she'd know a thing or two about running PKNS. But no, instead of calling a spade a spade, and in this case, she being the best person to fill the iCEO position, PKNS' own staff, and PAS (of all people) regaled at the appointment, and for some strange reason decided to pick on her racial identity and gender as an automatic disqualification for the top position in PKNS (albeit a temporary one).

I am glad that cooler heads prevail, chiefly Zaid Ibrahim who bravely came out to state the truth and will brave further whacking from his own race and party for saying such things.

First, let's look at that 30% stake thing. THe last time it happened, an ex-World Bank economist resigned when he wrote a report that after going through all of Bursa's listed companies, he said that the Bumi stake had crossed the 30% mark, meaning NEP had met it's target, and thus can be dismantled. But no, he made a mistake. He included Khazanah, and all the state investment bodies as part of the Bumi ownership. The government then came in with their own opinion and the poor economist's will wilted under the intense pressure. This is no kucing kurap economist, but one who had worked for an international body before.

But let's put that aside. Let's come up with a fair method of measurement (and not a moving goalpost type) to measure the equity. I think that would be fair for all, and best would be both the government and the private think tank types agree to that method of assessment, so that it will not be contested in the future. Even better, get the UN type body or some international accounting practice to give guidance. I think that would be fair but somehow, it would seem unfair to UMNO as these supposedly independent bodies have an ulterior motive, which is to shaft ALL malays, but I digress.

Second, let's free up the top positions from race. Let the best people run the organizations. Let's stretch that. Let's make the top and second top most tier open to competition. Tan Sri Azman has done it. MAS CEO has done it so i goes to show that one should not classify the Malays with a broad brush, and sadly, it is UMNO who is doing all the broad brushing. I personally know a lot of Malays and Bumis who can kick my butt in all sectors of intelligence and competence, so I am open to the challenge. We push each other onwards. That's the only way to go.

This will be a never ending story, until UMNO has lost their power, or some bright spark engineers a takeover. I think UMNO will loose their grip on power sooner that the bright spark, because all the bright sparks are in Pakatan or keeping a very safe distance from politics!

Again, makes me glad to be in Singapore but I do miss Malaysia lots though, but I look at it from my kids perspective. At least they will be known for what they can be (smart, articulate, creative) instead of what they are (chinese, 2nd class citizen, female).

'Arry and 'is boys at spurs have got one!

2008-10-27T12:22:00.000+08:00

This morning, a good piece of news from white Hart Lane.

Harry as the new managers have done it, giving spurs their first league win.

And most of all, he allowed the superstars brought in during the summer transfer season to play to their strengths.

I read modric was excellent and the first goal was from a bentley cross.

hopefully more to come soon.

This just in: ramos has left spurs, harry to take over!

2008-10-26T10:42:00.000+08:00

I just read the news wires and they say that ramos has been let go, and harry has agreed to take over.

Now 2 managers in 2 years? What's spurs up to? The good news is that comolli was given the sack, but ramos and poyet? Should they not have been given more time to get the team together? Should levy also be sacked for the club's own good? After all it was him and comolli who stuffed up the striker transfers.

But harry it is. Will he bring in defoe and crouch and allow them to continue the strike partnership they currently have in portsmouth?

Will spurs see the end of the season still in the premeirship or in the championship?

I guess only time will tell.

Cops grill Hindraf leaders for trespassing, illegal assembly at open house

2008-10-15T12:48:00.001+08:00

How much stupider can the cops get.

THe mere definition of OPen House means the said area was open to the public, thus how can the cops accuse one for tresspassing and not the other. Ditto for the illegal assembly.

SHows you the level of IQ the police force (or farce) has in Malaysia!

Absolute pure minded stupidity!

Malaysia and freedom of press

2008-10-14T17:58:00.000+08:00

I read rocky's blog today and was disheartened at his support for the tabung azan set up by an umno branch to offset the legal cost of utusan's lawsuit that mp teresa kok has started against them. Unfortunately, the premise of the tabung azan is skewed to begin with: that umno branch put together the fund because teresa is chinese, and is going after utusan, which is a malaysia medium paper and owned by umno, thus equaling to being owned by malays, so in their warped thinking they are protecting the malays against the likes to teresa.

What rocky failed to see is not that teresa was suing to clamp down on freedom of press, but suing to clear her name and reputation.

A clear line must be toed between having freedom of press and false reporting. Freedom of press does not give the editors to embark of character assassination, hidden under the agenda of journalistic reporting. Freedom of press means to be able to report of the right facts without fear or favor.

Why I support teresa's effort is the time and again, utusan has taken the truth and has stretched beyond one's wildest imagination and call it news. Fact are unsubstantiated, and in fact I can say that where it involves opposition figures, it's more like writing a fictional story, as long as someone within the umno circles mention something, than his or her word must be held as truth.

In this case that umno guy is none other than khir toyo, who first brought up the azan issue and falsely linked kok to tee controversy. Worst still, even after the mosque officials came out to state the truth, no retraction or apologies were offered.

This I would consider slander and defamation, and kok has every right to go after utusan for falsely reporting her actions which eventually led to her detention under isa and thereafter the fire bombing of her home by some over zealous nutcase.

as a lawyer friend always liked to say: let's call a spade, a spade. This is not about malaysia vs chinese, this is not about intimidating the journalist (umno did one better by threatening to kill the star reporter for asking ahmad ismail to clarify his statements further).

This is about seeking justice when the truth has been impunged and one's reputation and name has been tarnished. I would take this stand irrespective who was suing; be it ali or rajan and who was being sued; be it sin chew or the star. Journalists have a license to report the news, but report the truth and not hearsay.

And why is it that all this threats are always made by one party: umno. Is there a systemic problem about discipline in that party? I think there are certainly respectable people inside umno, just where are they?

Another golf outing

2008-10-13T09:50:00.000+08:00

Had the opportunity to play again yesterday. True to my promise since my last game I had left my driver at home but decided to bring my hybrid iron along again. I'd figure that I have one last chance to learn how to hit it before I completely give up on it.

So it started well, hit the hybrid off the tee, and it flew straight. And I picked up some additional pointers from the golf mag I bought, which btw had a pull out specifically on how to hit the hybrid.

Then all the tops, duffs came in on the 2 nd hole, much to my chagrin. To make it worst, my trusty long irons also began to dump me, as if to pitch about my thinking more of the hybrid than them! I was hitting the long irons thin, and could not for my life, take a proper divot.

my only saving grace for the front 9 was the par 3 s which I managed to hit properly.

I was happy when I started the back 9 as I took it as a fresh start again. This time, the hybrid hit well, though on some spots the irons were again hitting thin.

My course management was abysmal because I seemed to always go into the fairway bunker, which almost always needed 2 strokes to get out. My putting also lacked the feel that I had the last round.

But the achievement of the day was finally learning how to hit the hybrid off the tee and on the fairway plus some shallow rough. I'm sure the technique is not exactly correct but al least the ball is launching more favorably. Right now the ball position is fairly close to my feet, meaning I'm standing almost upright instead of the more traditional stance.

My score still leaves much to be desired, but I see it more positively: that I'm meeting my swing and clubs in order. I don't play enough to have that consistency but more of long term training.

Testing ... Again

2008-10-09T15:10:00.000+08:00

Just was informed on how to do a blog entry via email with a photo attached.

Well we'll see how well it works.

Spurs Suck Eggs!

2008-10-07T17:36:00.001+08:00

I never thought I'd say this, but Spurs suck eggs big time!

I mean, losing to lower rung clubs, and being firmly stuck on the wrong side of the league table. This is simply unacceptable.

I've seen many op-ed, and I fear the morning after a game, as they will most probably loose that game. I've even given up hope of following them in the EPL, it's a goner.

And of all the op-ed, this is my 2 cents worth

1) They need to give Juande more time. 1 year is not enough to turn the club around

2) They need better purchases, and starting with strikers. I mean Bent showed promise in the pre-season, and then lost his boots in the normal season. Frazier Campbell, well what's the use of using him when you KNOW end of the season he's moving back the ManYuu. Who was the idiot who brokered the deal? And the Ruski? Well he's seems to be suffering from fatigue, which does not help in getting him acclimatised to the English game.

3) They need to get rid of that Damien COmolli. He's a freakin joke.

4) And at the same time, perhaps David Levy and ENIC as well.

5) Someone must want to buy them, much like the Mid-East fund that bought out ManCity from Thaksin. Perhaps that will put the ship right.

Jol said they need more english talent, and I agree with him. How quickly fortunes change for the managers. One was at the top of the Spanish liga, and now finds himself at the bottom. THe other was sacked for not starting the season right, and now sits on top of the German league. How ironic, and the Board at Spurs must be kicking themselves in the arse.

Right now, Spurs are like my golf game. It sucks to high heaven!

A slaughter on the greens

2008-09-22T18:10:00.000+08:00

Like lambs to the slaughterhouse.

mass destruction.

only 2 of many colorful words that could be used to describe my game, in this case lack of, of golf over the weekend.

how many things could go wrong? Well let me count the ways.
1. I came down with a cold 2 days before the game.
2. I had a fever on the day before and during the game day.
3. My driver left me only after 1 hole.
4. My hybrid wood didn't come with me at all!
5. I hit a tree 2x on the same hole.
6. I hit a ball at full force, which then hit a distance marker and as expected, bounced away from the hole and came to rest a good 50 meters from I had originally hit it.
7. I lost a good 2 - 4 balls to the rough. - i gave up counting.
8. I landed in the fairway bunker at almost every hole that had one.

on the plus side
1. My long irons were pretty damm solid, in fact outdriving some of the others on my flight.2. I made some pretty nice putts.

for the next game, i undertake the following:
1. Leave those dastardly woods at home.
2. Play only with my irons.

let's see what the score looks like then. This round i hit in excess of 120... A long way to go before i qualify for a handicap in singapore, which needs to have a consistent round of sub-100.

what a massacre (sp?)

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2 down, 1 more to go - ISA malaysia

2008-09-19T17:09:00.001+08:00

Just heard news that theresa kok has been released because (and get this) the police couldn't find any proof that she's a threat to national security!

any 8 year old kid can tell the stupid cops that.

i also hear that she's filed a police report against utusan and khir toyo. In most everywhere else except malaysia, she would stand a fighting chance of winning a criminal and civil suit against these 2 parties. But in malaysia, when both accused belongs to UMNO, what's the chance of that ever happening. Perhaps a slim chance if the presiding judge decides to be impartial.

I say: take both these parties to the cleaners! That's the only way for them to learn that they cannot put words into people's mouth and expect to get away with it.

now to get RPK and the Hindraf 5 out as well. But that'll only happen when PR takes over.

DSAI, enough already, let's get it on in OCT 13. Don&#! 39;t let them hit you with ISA!

Malaysia Under Seige

2008-09-13T16:52:00.002+08:00

It is not very often that I write about politics (at least not in a while anyways) in Malaysia.

But since the arrest of RPK, DAP MP Teresa Kok and reporter Tan Hoon Cheng is, I think, the final nail in the BN coffin.

For their sake, I do hope that DSAI takes over the government sooner rather than later.

I find the latests arrests disturbing because they fly in the face of conventional wisdom. It would seem to me that either Abdullah is a true machiavelli, or have lost control of the government (by that meaning Syed and Najib made the decision, executed the decision and then informed Abdullah).

Let's analyse (in my katak bawah tempurung) why the latest ISA arrests.

Tan CHoon Heng
1) Ahmad Ismails utters a racists remark. He called the chinese (I think more chinese because his grandparents were indian muslims) squatters at a rally at Permatang Pauh. This was reported by Tan Hoon Cheng, and it didn't even make front page news, but it did catch fire on the blogs etc etc, and then the tinderbox flared up.

2) najib apologies, so we all think back to status quo.

3) Ahmad calls a press conference only to undo Najib's apologies and further in flame the racial tension amongst the good people in Malaysia.

4) Abdullah steps in and lectures the errant bastard Ahmad and instructs him to call another press conference to apologize for good. And what did this bastard do? He further in-flames the situation, got his supporter to tear Koh's photos, yells at Gerakan and MCA to leave freakin BN (for it is UMNO and UMNO's alone) and goes to have a shouting match against another reporter (to which one supporter issued a death threat against her!)

5) BN supreme council decides UMNO should mete out punishment against that bastard, and UMNO decides 3-yrs suspension. Talk about pussies! These UMNO chieftains have really got the UMNO supreme council pussy whipped!

6) The bastard goes again and says he has done nothing wrong, and then we have the good reporter who was doing her job, arrested.

F*ck that! Where is the justice. If the ISA is going to be used, it should be used against that Bastard Ahmad Ismail! he started it.

Luckily UMNO is not a doctor, because they did not treat the root of the disease, they just whacked the symptoms. If they were doctors, be assured that any patients referred to them will die a quick death because they have not f*ckin clue on how to treat a disease!

I think it is because they were really afraid to look themselves in the mirror and discover that they are part of the root of the disease that malign Malaysia for so long.

Teresa Kok:
Why is she in jail? All she asked for was that the road sign should also have a Mandarin and Tamil translation since there is a Jawi translation.

I ask, is that being racists, or is that being multi-cultural? I'd say multi-cultural. And besides, why make such a fuss. Again, it was Fuc*tusan Malaysia and Khir Toyol who kicked up a stinker, and who get thrown in jail? the non umno, of course!

RPK.
he is the ULTIMATE news maker.

I read his blog (so perhaps the f*kin Malaysian government can put me in jail for being incahoots with RPK), and I find nothing offensive in his article. In fact, his articles merely address a different intepretation of Islam.

Are those cowards in UMNO so afraid of their lack of knowledge in Islam that they have to lock up RPK? Why not just get the grand imam to challenge him? Is it because RPK is right?

Or is it because RPK threatens to take down Najib, Bodohwi, Alblur, Khairy, 2 Mohamads, and Patrick via his expose? If the government is clean to begin with, then there is nothing to be scared off, and all documentations should be opened for all and sunder. If that is the case, take legal action as Singapore does and make sure it sticks.... unless a law case will only threaten to expose more skeletons in the UMNO pandora box?

I have decided to fly the malaysian flag upside down until these 3 and the Hindraf group is released from ISA imprisoment, and also until DSAI takes control of the government. As uncertain as the politics of DSAI, at least it will give Malaysia a new start instead of this corrupt, mafia-style BN government.

I wonder what those idiots in MCA, MIC, Gerakan and all the other parties that make up BN are still part of the corrupt alliance? Wake up and smell the roses. The UMNO of today is not the UMNO that your grandfathers in MIC and MCA fought with for independence.

the UMNO of today is only bent on seeing that their own benefit from the country. At least with the british, we could say that they were colonists stripping the land for the King and Country. Now it's worst! Now its our own people, and Bumiputera at that, are stripping the country of its resources with its corrupt practices. And I thought Bumiputeras are supposed to safeguard the country's resources. F*ck that!

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Unfortunate burst of wind

2008-09-11T11:16:00.001+08:00

Yesterday, I was on a bus to town around mid-day.

On the bus with me was this lady wearing a flowing knee length dress. She wasn't all too bad looking.

Unfortunately when she de-bussed, and was proceeding to sit at the bus stop to wait for her connection, her action of turning (which aerodynamics wise meant that her dress bottom acted as a parafoil) and also a sudden gust of wind left her in an embarrasing situation of showing her knickers to the world.

It was only her act of sitting down the saved her from further blushes as the incident happened just before she sat down. Having said that, the people around her (including me) would have caught sight of her entire thigh down to her nomal black panties. Pity, it wasn't something more risque!

Pencil tight skits seems best to counter a windy day.

Tanjung Pagar

2008-08-21T16:34:00.001+08:00

The Tanjung Pagar area is also a place where women come to work dressed to kill, usually for the right reasons, but for one, the wrong reason.

I was at a Starbucks in the area (and there's one in every corners), and happened to sit in front of a lady who looked like she was showing some product to a male clients.

It all looked innocous, except she had eyelash extender, or those fix-on eyelash on, and worst part is that part of it was falling off! So she looked a bit "off" (off being an understatement) when she blinked or lowered her eyes to the table.

It was wrong, oh so wrong!

Raffles Place

2008-08-20T15:16:00.001+08:00

In my line, since i started working alone, opportunites to see eye candy is few and far in between, so yesterda, happened to beat the raffles place area, so had many of such opportunities.

among those spotted include someone looking like dawn yang (i think from her paper picts), and also one lady wearing a nice thong, which could be seen thru her translucent black dress.

all i can say that its eye popping what people wll wear in tha area! Not sure if its to outdo other women, or looking to snare a rich bloke? Or it could just be plainly wanting to look good.

And then I just caught a clip on the Olympics, some variety show. Pity the hostess, while wearing a very nice qi pao decided to wear normal undies, with lines that is clearly visible. Pity

My beef with evangelists

2008-08-01T11:01:00.001+08:00

Now before I continue, allow me to warn prospective readers: If you are one of those that subscribe to the theory that every one must be saved, then better to don't read the rest of this entry. If you don't, the by all means, go ahead. But it will be controversial.

This topic has been goading me for the past couple of days, when in a business meeting, the topic of whether I was Christian or not came up, to which I replied I am not. And then one of the guys in meeting non-chalantly chimed in "not yet". Small comment, some would say, but I beg to differ.

My beef is not with Christianity or Christians at large. They could be over-zealour Buddhist, Muslims, Free thinkers.. whatever! But the point that I would like to drive at is that my religion is between me and my god (or God, whichever you subscribe to). Why is it so hard to understand that, and we'll keep it that way.

This is not the first, nor the last time I will this "snide" comment, some are more careful with their choice or words, some careless such as in this episode, and even more daring episode I remembered was when this young boy came up to me in a book store and asked me point blank if I knew who the big JC was (for those blur type: JC = Jesus Christ).

As Senator Obama wrote about his belief system (he is Christian), he somehow could not fathom that all people must recognise Jesus as their Saviour in order to be "saved" from eternal damnation. His mother was a free thinker and has done good wherever she went, so Senator Obama believes that she is in a better place, and not eternal damnation (as she is not Christian).

And similarly so I believe that as long as people do good, they will have their place in heaven, whichever heaven that may await for them, and not this egocentric view that one must be saved by Jesus.

I once attended a wedding where the pastor called upon the non-believers to repent and take JC as their saviour because armmagedon is near, and I really took offense to that. One because it's a wedding, for heaven's sake, and let's not get into the death and gloom speech. And 2, while it occured in a church, and knowing that he had non-christians in his midst, he should not have used it as an opportunity to preach, beyond blessing the young couple of a better future.

I am blessed because I have many friends, and many of them are Christians, and a very large majority of them do not see my being a Buddhist being a hindrance to our friendship, and neither do I see their faith in Christianity as being a hindrance either. We are all glad that we have found something or someone to base our value system on.

If you truly research the fundamental concept of the various religions and philosophies in the world, they all preach the same concept. Do go, do no evil. And I think a good place to start would be by respecting other people's religions and leave it as that. If a person is in need of moral assistance or feels lost, let him or her discover which religion suits him or her best, and let's not put the cart in front of the horse.

BTW, I think Senator Obama will make a fantastic President. Not that John McCain is a bad candidate, just the wrong timing, coming after 8 years of no good under the Bushie Jr. His dad was a good Bushie.

Spurs

2008-07-31T11:05:00.001+08:00

I am a fan of Tottenham Hotspurs.

There I've said it. I've been a fan since I was a kid when Steve Archiebald, Glenn Hoddle, Garth Crooks, and Ossie Ardiles played for the team. However, I am not a rabid fan, meaning I don't dress from head to toe in Spurs gard, and neither do I stay awake in the odd hours of the morning catching their games.

When there is a chance, I will sneak a peek, especially when I do dinners with the family out, and there's the widescreen tellys around. But I do follow their scores in anticipation of being overjoyed (as when Spurs won the Carling against Chelsea, and the semi-final against Arsenal), or dissapointed when they loose (as was their first half of the season, which seriously bombed big time)

So now, I sit and read in anticipation the goings and comings at Spurs, and all the good and bad things that the pundits have written.

While the arrival of some of the players are great, I do rue the fact that Robbie Keane has left Spurs to join Liverpool. I mean, the guy was captain when King was out of the game, so losing him was something that I cannot comprehend. I thought he and Berba both made a good strike partnership. And now, theres also talk that Berba will leave before the start of the season.

Oh anyways, there's nothing I can do with the transfers at Spurs, so might as well sit back and enjoy the show, and hope that Spurs will do better than they did last year. Perhaps then, there's real reason to keep the big names in the club rather than hearing about them being linked to other clubs.

And finally, I guess I am outed. I know I am in the small minority of fans of other clubs, against the hype machinery of Man Yuu, Chelski, Arsernal and 'Pool.

XX and DY spat

2008-07-29T15:12:00.001+08:00

One sentence: doesn't look like its going away.

i was trolling the web aimlessly just now and came across a blogsite that is 100% anti-DY. This person actually documented all of DY's pseudonyms and posting on some website forums (which incidently is also 90% anti-DY), and outed some of the characters as DY herself, but masquerading as other people.

and my, what spiteful things did these person/s write about other people, mostly good looking females that grace the pages of magazines for their looks and bods - be it au naturel or via active intervention of moderm medicine.

my gosh, how bitchy!

to me, it is PMS in its entire unvarnished glory, and before half the world's population flame me, PMS=pure minded stupidity.

don't get me wrong, i am neither a fan of DY or XX and neither do i read their blogs because:
1. One of them, some may say is a front for all the expensive label marketing and all things materialistic
2. The other is sometimes anal-retentive and self-absorbed.

for those of you living under a coconut shell, DY=dawn yang and XX=xiaxue, and they have been in the singapore papers because the papers here have nothing interesting to write about.

and come to think of it, so do i (i mean have nothing to write about). So there you have it. I am also a pawn in their quest to get more citations from web search engines.

silly silly

Philip Yeo article

2008-07-29T13:06:00.001+08:00

I wanted to send this out, but someone got left inside my draft folder. Better late then never

I read with great interest the article in today's ST about Phillip Yeo. I've had the opportunity to work in one of the organizations he headed, so I have see how he works. No first hand but perhaps second-hand.

I have always known him to be one who is unorthodox in how he does things, and I must admit, it was challenging to work within the OB markers that he had set.

However, I must qualify that his style may not necessarily work in every situation. I believe he was able to work it his way because he had a good mentor who allowed him to stretch his wings, and his mentor must have acted as protector to his potential detractors.

I can say this first hand as I have tried to work outside of the box, or better yet, remove the box completely. Alas, poor me, I was not a director level employee, so there were still many layers between myself and the top guy. My big boss was also one who did not like working within the box, but he brings his own weight to bear.

Unfortunately for me, I worked within the confines that my big boss had provided me with and it was still larger than what my counterparts (mostly people more senior - thus more ingrained than me) could accommodate. And as such, many of my recommendations presented during my project presentations were met with snickers as well as off-hand, behind-the-back and less than generous remarks, and worst of all, by people I had high respect for.

As such I would say this.
1) He did wonders in EDB because he essentially started it from scratch, thus he had a free hand in drafting the blueprint for the future of the organization
2) His success in A*STAR was purely limited to success (even then I would quantify as limited success) within the Biomedical sector. I believe he could have done more, had more impact, had more success if he had "cleaned the house" completely when he took over and redesignated NSTB to A*STAR. I guess at that time, his focus was purely to start-up the BMS side of research and thus he left the other half of A*STAR alone. And I firmly believe he should have stayed longer than 5 years. He stayed in EDB for more than 20 years, and in science and research, the outcome can only be measure in those timeframes (ie 20 years)

Time will only tell if the monies poured in by the government into Biopolis would bear fruit. I think it will, but I am unsure.

But in essence, it is a wonder how a guy like him was able to survive the bureaucracy that is the civil service where for most, there is perhaps only one thought, one mantra if you will that they bring with them daily to work: do not screw up. But with such attitudes, then the people and some scientists will not be challenged to do more than beyond what is required because the more they do, the more likely they will screw up.

So most proposals will be discussed via committee and International advisory boards, where the decision (and the blame if it all goes shitters) can be spread amongst the members of the committee, who are mostly prominent people, so they will be sort of like teflon coated anyways. Any hardcharging young 'un will stand out like a nail to be hammered down with the rest of his or her cohort.

So now you know why there will only be one Phillip Yeo and why he cannot be cloned. Because his prospective clones have all been zapped into unthinking robots who remain part of the service, and those who have not been transformed 100% into those unthinking robots have all escaped into the private sector because then they can stretch their wings without being hammered silly by the do not screw up boss.

A great place for sightings

2008-07-24T21:01:00.000+08:00

Was at city hall starbucks, and i must admit it is a GREAT place for people watching, especially of the female sort.

sighted just now include:
- a gal dressed in yellow translucent dress, and black undies, both bra and thong. She definitely wanted her thong to be seen by all and sunder.

- another gal in thin t-shirt type dress, body hugging and her lines were definitely showing, indicating a g-sting underneath. She wasn't too bad looking either.

all in all a welcome distraction in an otherwise heavy business meeting!

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My notebook's back

2008-07-22T15:07:00.000+08:00

Spent most of last night reconfiguring my lenovo notebook after the both the motherboard and hard drive was replaced.

all i can say is that the company providing after-sales service for lenovo is great! The service engineer, lawrence, actually delivered my notebook to my doorstep, and at past 8 pm.

when i had eaten my dinner and spending time with the family, this guy was still out dropping off repaired notebook.

i hope this will be the last time i have problems with my notebook, at least for a while longer, but if microlink (i think the company handling the after sales service for lenovo) and lawrence is still there, i know i will be safe and happy with the service.

kudos to them for truly providing good customer service.

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Lenovo experience. Part 2.

2008-07-21T13:12:00.000+08:00

As i was saying, trouble still persisted and now the guy has got to replace my hard disk.

i hope this would be the end of the saga, as the only other thingtha could go wrong would be that my data is lost. Which is ok asi had just backed up my data to a thumb drive.

so it brings me to the nex question: has anyone also experenced the same or am i unlucky? Or is this the state of all notebooks with lower margins, the cntract maufacturers start to cut corners. Tis kinda makes me wish i had gone with a compaq instead.

but the saving grace is that the servicetus far has been great. I've suffered poor service in the past when i was using a dopod phone and their repar timelines kept stretching and stretching, until my secretar had to call up and threaten them!

shout out your comments!

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What is your experience with lenovo notebooks? Part 1.

2008-07-21T13:04:00.000+08:00

I would like to open this up to people who are currently using or have used Lenovo notebooks, both thetinkpads and their consumer range, the "Y" and/or ideapad series.

why? Becuase i'd like to sharewt you my experience.

about 2 monthsago, i bought a Y310 series notebook frm challenger, which came with a 2 gb ram upgrade. It's got a dual coreprcessr, as opposed to a centrno duo, but for the purpose of my anticpateduse, it was more than adequate (for those who must know, i using it more for office applications)

since purchase i have used the notebook quite often, usually several hours per day, and not always in an aircond room. But when i use it in a normal room, i do try to keep the fan unobstructed.

then late last week, problems started to occur. I accessed the notebook in the morning, put it on sleep, and then charged it while i did other stuff only for me to find out that i was unable to power up the machine.

try as i may but to no avail, so i duly called the helpdesk, who was nice enough to register me on the spot and referred me to the service center. The good thing is that they also have a pick up service, which i think is also offerred by hp, but since time is of the essence, i decided to do the drop off myself.

the service center is a small shop in bukit timah plaza (surprised on the location) and since i stayed in the west, it was convenient enough for me to get to it with a car.

service was prompt and done without fuss and lawrence, the service engineer was nice enough to give me some tips since i wanted to retrieve the data on the hdd.

later that same day, he called to inform that he had changed the motherboard, and would be ready for pick up on monday, and so i needn't worry about retrieving the data.

so today i went, and unfortunately, the machine with the new motherboard and all still wouldn't power up, so next option was to recover the os to the original version, and plus he offered to send my notebook back to my place later in the evening.

to be continued...

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Epitome of stupidness

2008-07-20T10:49:00.000+08:00

Can you imagine the horror when i lookedat toda's sunday time and making headlines is a spat between 2 female bloggers.

wtf?

how can
a) straits times be so desperate for news to stoop this low? sT needs to conduct itself a bit better, as i see this a more new paper content.
b) what could 2 silly female (i could think of other names) bloggers do until it involves lawyers.

OMG! You would think that this like the time chee soon jua accused goh chok tong of some financial improprietary with indonesia.

c'mon people and ST, get a life, better yet for the 2 logheads.. Opps i meant blockheads, opps i meant blogheads, get a real job instead being so damm self-abosrbed with themselves.

Sheesh!

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Sightings

2008-07-17T15:51:00.000+08:00

After so so long, i finally had a sighting worth writing about.

Location: somewhere in a mall
time: lunch
sighting: female in white halter top and tight fitting capri pants.

Definitely wearing a thong as the outline was clearly seen whe shewas sitting down. She wasn't bad looking as well.

nicely played!

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Anwar arrested - why am i not surprised

2008-07-16T14:55:00.000+08:00

The latest news is that anwar has been arrested for sodomy by the cops.

why am i not surprised about this?

talk about history repeating itself, and learning from one's mistake. I guess the police do not make mistakes, and so neither do they learn.

but anyone with half - no, a quarter of a brain would know that he is of no threat to the government, he does not hold governemental secrets, he is just a high profile private citizen.

and there are so many accusations on this, both criminal and in the shariah courts and so why is the accuser not in jail as he has not been able to provide 4 witnesses to say that anwar did indeed sodomize him?

why?

and is there any conclusive proof that the guy did not stick something up his bum to compress his shit (which i think was one of the indications the docs has used to determine if he had a stick, human or otherwise up his arse).

all this does is bring more question as to the neutrality of the various institutions and will make malaysia sink deeper into trouble.

as it is, i anticipate that there will be trouble soon, and the government may just order emergency measures and suspend the constitution - hey, perhaps this could be what the government intended to do all along - hope not though.

bottom line: more trouble for economy, money flight, people problem, but most of all to keep the pressure off aab and ntr.

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THe blues

2008-07-11T11:00:00.001+08:00

I wrote about the advice my mom had given to me.

I have a fundamental problem with the advice because she has no clue what I am doing. All she can see is that I am sitting at home hammering away on the computer. She is a life long employee of the government, and unfortunately for me, I have decided to be a bit more alternative in my view of employement.

Unfortunately, the projects I am currently undertaking, there is no sure bet of success, but it all requires effort just the same. The attitude I take is if there is no effort, then there's guaranteed 100% failure. Whereas, if there's effort put in, then at least you're on your way there. Further I believe that even if the outcome is negative, there will be learning lessons from each project, just that it won't put food on the table.

So I am a bit depressed because there is a lack of understanding or support from my parents on what I am doing. They view me as being unemployed, and not working as freelance consultant. I don't know how to change their minds, and neither do I want to spend the energy to do it at this stage.

But because I am depressed, I am not working as optimum as I should, which is double whammy as I should be putting in 110% effort.

I don;t know, I just want to get away from the house so that a) I will not be so affected by the kids and their noise and b) it will provide some notion that I am at least working (in the eyes of my folks).

Old school and new school don't mix. THat's all I have to say. And I'm bummed!

Frustrated

2008-07-08T11:26:00.000+08:00

A day after i wrote about my new line of work, my mom, out of the goodness of her heart, has thrown a spannar into the works.

she has advised me to get a job (makes it sound like i'm some sort of loafer - which i am not) as i'm increasingly becoming more angry towards the kids, spweing fire and brimstone at them.

which has cause great concern as i don't think i have a shorter fuse than normal, in fact, the opposite is true, i have less stress or shit to deal with at work so i don't bring the crap back with me. And i have been spending a lot more time with the kids. I guess that's not how my mom sees it, or she just zooms in on the times i loose my cool.

while i have not shared my projects with her, these projects take months to come thru. But in anycase, i AM looking for a full time job to help pay for my night time projects.

but it has certainly spoiled my working mood for today, and worst of all, i still have work to do.

it sucks, this feeling i have now.

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When will be the next time i golf??

2008-07-07T14:44:00.000+08:00

I must say, the last time i golfed was merely weeks ago, but the urge is so great that i cannot wait to golf again,

it is like a drug that afflicts me to the core.

well that's that, so much for my artistic bent.

i recently had a career change and have found myself no longer office-bound, thus the lack of updates only to recently discover that blogger has mobile blogging options. Which is great!

anyways in my new job, i have also found that i am more reliant on my mobile, both for phone calls and for email.

as you can see, i use singtel, which is singapore's version of ma-bell. I've been researching whether to swap over to starhub or not, and subscribe to push mail (reasons to come later).

i currently am on the 100 min plan and most likely going on the 300 minute plan and here singtel wins, though starhub would most probably say that you get more theoretical minutes because they charge by seconds block instead of minutes by singtel.

for push, i am using the mobilem@il which i find to be a drag and it looses its connectivity quite often and this is detrimental to business if you're up and around, thus the need for blackberry. Again for this singtel wins as 40 given me 7 mb instead of 31 for 4 mb.

so which should i choose? Starhub or singtel?

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Test... Again

2008-07-07T09:15:00.000+08:00

Now send from a different email

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First posting in a while

2008-07-02T14:06:00.001+08:00

Things have been a bit crazy. I left my last job, only to find myself left out in the cold because of some office politics in the new place. Don't be mistaken, because it is by mutual consent.

But anyways, I have been keeping busy, though not as much time spent googling at the fairer sex.

My interest has turned more to politics, but nothing interesting to report here.

I have been spending a bit more time at the Raffles Place area, and I must say, it is a good place for googling, and I've heard a friend say working there, for the ladies at least, is like going to a fashion show daily, and there's a minimum standard to adhere to.

You know what, after going there about twice a week for the past 4 weeks, yes its true. There IS a minimum standard and it is like the Singapore fashion show daily, happening 365 days a year.

I've also heard from a friend who just started work in the area that she has had to upgrade her wardrobe to meet the minimum standard.

I guess the guys have it better, can veer off too much with pants and shirt. The shirts now come with more accessories, but that's to be expected.

Testing

2008-07-02T13:55:00.001+08:00

Checking out blogging via email.

Let's see what happens.

Fashion Faux Pas

2008-05-07T14:25:00.004+08:00

Been a long time since I wrote on this.

Yesterday, while travelling on the public, I picked up on of those free papers, which had a blurb on dressing for work correctly for ladies (since the guys' fashion have not changed over the past 100 years).

Anyways, this fashion consultant mentioned that the proper way to wear pants or tight skirts is without showing the panty lines. So she recommended wearing thongs, which is great advice.

But doesn't that go against what the tills have been showing, that thongs are no longer in vogue.

Plus the multitude of seamless underwear, would essentially allow the wearer to wear what they would consider comfortable underwear without committing fashion faux pas.

Interesting to see what the "on the ground" trend will be like.

Squatter in a new office

2008-05-06T15:09:00.002+08:00

Over the past 2 weeks, while I try to sort my life out, I have been squatting in my old office, using the available PCs and printer to get on with my life.

On Friday, my secretary, or rather ex-secretary pleaded with me to return the pass, which rightly so I should have done.

So stuck with 2 PCs at home, and kids that do not understand the term "DO NOT DISTURB", I had to scramble to find a new place to work from.

Luckily, this potential new boss (for whom I have 2 projects with, current doing it pro-bono) has a fully decked out office, but with no one in it. So I asked to use it temporarily, and he agreed.

I had to sign a release form, and take responsibility for anything that goes wrong with it, and I have taken pics of the office for safekeeping. The only problem is that I don't know where the aircon switch is, and it is hot as heck in here.

Plus I miss bantering with a human because I am all alone here!

Oh well, better than being constantly bugged at home. I hope to be able to work from home, perhaps in the future. And now, my journey to work takes a long time more since I have to bus, plus the food is costlier.

Ah... what to do???

I guess it can only get better from now on.

Jobs update

2008-04-30T15:10:00.003+08:00

I tell you, the last week or so has just been like a soap opera.

Do I or do I not join the new outfit. After the feedback from my deepthroat about the BPG's reaction, I had made a decision not to join.

Only for my supposed new boss telling me that my deepthroat over-reacted and read the signals all wrong, and whether I would consider my decision again.

Problem was I had communicated to the HR that I would not join, and I hate to be known as someone who is like a "lalang"or flip-flopper.

While the knowledge that I would have a regular income is comforting, I do stand by the fact that life is too short to muck with people who are more happy bitching about life and others, and so I decided to take the plunge to be my own man, be my own boss, except I do not have any steady income.

My potential income stems from the few projects that I am doing that I hope will get funded and with it, for part of that money comes into my pocket. I rationalize there is only 2 outcomes from it. I starve (which will make me loose weight) or I prosper (which I hope will not make me gain weight).

Right now, I have friends who are throwing projects at me, so while I am jobless I am definitely not sitting on my ass and not doing anything. In fact, I am more stressed out because of the timelines associated with these projects.

I guess the next couple of months to half a year would be interesting to see the fruits of my effort now.

Come along for the ride!

A tale of what was and what could have been

2008-04-25T11:15:00.002+08:00

This weekend was emotional roller coaster for me.

I had written about the political bullshit I was subjected to on Friday.

So I decided to have a chat with the Smaller Prof Guy (SPG) on Monday to clear the air. He had asked me to hold off making the decision until he himself spoke with the Big Prof Guy (BPG).

Anyways, in the interim, I then found out that not only was the BPG having a tough time accepting me in, but now BPG's immediate people were also gossiping about me.

So I decided to throw in the towel and live life a bit more dangerously as I flirted with unemployment. For the first time in 12 years (or since I finished university) I am unemployed. It's scary, but at the same time, it fees good not to have any emotional and political baggage to drag along.

My friend ask what I had done to provoke such a reaction? Perhaps I was being myself, or perhaps I was too closely associated with my previous boss, but whatever it was, these people were only superficially being my friends and deep down, I guess harboured lots of angst against me.

I hold no grudges, because what I had said, I meant. I think this is where constructive criticism should not be mistaken for personal criticism. What I had said, what I had done was done with the full conviction that it would have been better for the organization. But then again, the problem with this is that the organization that I previously worked for and will be joining has 2 differing objectives.

So now perhaps I have found more like-minded people to work with, and hopefully it will be a blessing in disguise.

Plus now I know who my real friends are, for after I made that fateful decision to go unemployed than to join an organization that was less than enthused to have me back, I got many referrals and concerns. The best time to know who your friends are is when you are down, and these friends stick with you through thick and thin.

So I am blessed to have such friends who are willing to do something to help me in time of need, as opposed to "friends who are more intent to hurl abuses behind my back.

Screwed Part II

2008-04-19T06:36:00.001+08:00

I spoke of the Big Prof Guy (let's call him BPG) and how I had pissed him off in the pass. I have been running though my mind (which is why this was written at 6 am on Saturday) to figure out what was it I did that made him so mad and to still hold a grudge after 18 months?

My good buddy also asked the same question.

I really don't know why because my interactions with the BPG was few and far in between, and I have always made it a point to be respectful and cordial with him.

There were 2 occasions where I knew he was less than happy.

1) Our big organization then was doing this study called the TechScan, and I got lumped into with the group to look at all things small.

So it was a motley crew of researchers and administrators like me, with 2 well known Profs helming it. We had a timeline, and if you know about the area of all things small (there is a simpler word for it), you would know that it's application and impact crosses many industries and applications.

Anyways, back to the story. After months of meetings , we hadn't the foggiest clue what to write, how to structure the report and who should write it. So at crunch time, the draft report looked like Frankenstein in word format. There was no cohesion. You knew it was written by many people only interested in their own body of work. And it was worthless.

So being the dumbass hero that I am, I took it upon myself to rewrite the whole report, using previous staff that had been written, but also I took stuff from elsewhere and cobbled it together, with a hard hitting conclusion. I spent a week of late nights in the office and at home. I neglected my kids then. It was work, dinner and then work till past midnight.

But instead of being congratulated for it, I made the fatal mistake of telling my then big boss (who is the impatient kind) that I had written it up, and it really caused a political ruckus. THis is where BPG got upset with me. I know that for sure.

But my ex-big boss had moved on (he is a professional manager not to dwell on past mistakes, unless you make it again), and had passed the report onwards to the Executive Director (ED) of the All THings Small institute without telling me. Now this ED was known to be a really tough person to work with, but she's really good.

So I was in for a shock when the ED actually took the time to read through, added her comments (I missed out much of her stuff) and then wrote a very nice comment towards the end. She felt that same way I did about the recommendation. Perhaps that's what that pissed off BPG further, that this little peon could come up with the same recommendation as a world renowned professor in all things small.

But in the years, I had totally forgotten about this incident, but not he.

2) I was making a pitch about biodiesel (My greenie bit coming out), and BPG remarked snidely that the advisory board had said that "all the plantations of the world would not have enough feedstock to completely replace fossil fuel."

But my point then was not a complete replacement but as a top-up like what many countries are doing now. But he missed the forest for the trees. But I had always thought that to be a very minor incident.

Beyond that I honestly could not think of when else I pissed of the BPG. I guess I will never know, and beyond monday, not that I could care.

Like they say, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Perhaps time to get off that road.

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Screwed

2008-04-19T06:15:00.001+08:00

Friday was my last day of work with my old company, the one with the Pointy Haired One as boss, and I was really looking forward to moving on with my life and and starting in the new place.

But alas it was not to be.

Why? Just in the afternoon, as I was manically packing up my desk and at the same time, cleaning up my stuff in my notebook, I received a rather perculiar sms from my friend. It read:" What happened between you and Big Prof Guy? He (Big Prof Guy) said something to Smaller Prof Guy, and it seems that you have upset him."

So in a flurry of sms went on, and then my good buddy then sent me a rather long sms, where internally the blame game had begun. The Big Prof Guy also hauled him into his room, to state the obvious: that I was going to join the team, and from what my buddy said, all his non verbal cues pointed to a simple fact: he was NOT happy that I am coming on board.

The in another meeting, the Smaller Prof Guy essentially taichi the responsibility of my hiring to my good buddy, which is really unfair. Accusations like "I only hired so and so because I trust your recommendation" is a piece of crap reason to dish out to someone, instead, just have a back bone and one should just say I absolve myself from all responsibilities and I am taichi'ing the problem to you.

So after talking to my good buddy, I have decided to bite the bullet and will decline the job. It makes me look at the more worse for wear because I kept insisting that I wanted a line included into my offer letter, which HR was not too happy to include because it wasn't in the template.

As such, they have finally gave up and had thrown my offer letter to legal for them to see if it is doable. Now all this, I really feel bad for all these people because I have made them do all the work, and now it is all for naught.

The intentions were good, in fact, as I told my buddy, up till lunch time, I was eagerly awaiting going to my new job, in fact I had told several friends and ex-colleagues about seeing them on Monday at the new place.

But now, with this strong reaction from the Big Prof Guy, it would be suicidal to join this organization. It's probably still OK to go in if this criticism came from someone at my buddy's level, but this is the big guy himself and the Smaller Prof Guy reports to the Big Prof Guy. And with the Smaller Prof Guy pushing the responsibility to my friend, it makes it even worse.

I feel that if I do join, yeah sure I can prove myself as I had done in the past but at what cost? Would it be a case where I do 100 things well, and 1 mistake and get taken out because of that mistake? Do I now have to carry the burden of proving my friend right? It's bad enough that I have to prove myself, but have to do that AND prove myself for my buddy, I think enough is enough.

So on Monday, I will call the Smaller Prof Guy to clear the air, and then I will be looking at life as an unemployed.

And you know what is sadder, I just had a meeting with a potential boss, and I had told him that I would be joining this group :( and now I have to scramble and also explain why I am not joining them, and worst of all, I do not know how to lie. In the end, I may end up looking like an asshole that nobody wants.

So for now I am screwed!

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My resignation Part II

2008-04-07T12:51:00.001+08:00

ON Friday, I wrote about this. Now I have a bit more time to expand on the discussion.

As I mentioned, I resigned on Friday. And though I had just wanted to give the letter to Pointy Haired One's (PHO) secretary, my colleagues incahoots with me advised me to hand it to him personally. I figured if I want to leave on a good note, that should be the way.

So here I am playing hide and seek with the secretary because the objective of the meeting should not be known to her, unfortunately. So finally got him and a time was set.

As I went into the meeting, it was cordial. How bang table, shout and curse type experience. He almost knew it was coming, or he had a good poker face. Anyways, he said that it was unfortunate that it had to come to this.

Then came the part of the compliment, or so called compliment.

He told me that I had done good work on a document submitted to an organization. He shafted me the work, which I did without complaint.

This is roughly how the conversation went.
PHO: you did good work on the tender document
Me: Naw, I just took XXX's previous document and changed it a bit.
PHO: No you added information onto it. P (his crony No 2) and I looked through it and it was a good proposal. We know because we've seen so many before. You didn't do cut and paste job. We used to tell XXX not to cut and paste, but...
Me: THanks
PHO: Yes we wanted to offer you the other manager position. P and I discussed and you definitely have value-add, from your proposal, it shows you have brains.
Me: (now a bit stunned at the compliment.. or insult)
PHO: Wherever you go, you need to have value add

The more blah blah.

Anyways, he's trying to be a father figure with his advise and all, but quite honestly, I think I may have been a bit too low key with my past activities.
1) I was voted on America's Who's Who among University students. Not a small feat since there is so many of them in college.
2) I did have 2 Motorola site offering me a job, straight off the bat.
3) I did have one VP use his personal contact to get me a transfer.
4) I do have people I have worked with in the past still asking me to work with them on projects.

So while I do not go parading this around, I definitely do know I have brains.

Anyways, most of the people I have confided this to have the same incredulous expression of shock on their face.

In anycase PHO reads quite widely but unfortunately, it is all theory.

In theory I should know how to hit my new hybrid iron, but in practice, I still duff the shots.

So doesn't matter. What matters now is do I write PHO's boss to explain my decision to him? This would definitely burn whatever bridges I have with PHO, but on the other hand, PHO is a 2 face snake and I worry about my reputation.

Any ideas?

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Golf

2008-04-04T16:08:00.003+08:00

And I am golfing this SUNDAY.

YIPPEEE.. After 5 months!

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I did it again.

2008-04-04T16:08:00.001+08:00

Now before you think I am a Britney Spears clone, you might as well think Zimbabwe is in Turkey.

I resigned from this sick old place.

And the old guy (the Pointy Haired One), he can't do or say anything without offending me. I don't know why, word are just lost to him.

Anyways, so I told him I'm sorry but I am tendering.. blah blah.

And then he said, its OK.

So no worries right?

Then he says that he and his Crony No 2 was hoping to transfer me to the local BD position. Why? Because I stated the obvious in a tender document, which BTW, we won.

So because of that I have value-add; I have brains.

Wow! 7 years of university studies and 3 degrees later, I am so happy that I now know I have a brain (opps, he said I have brains)

He said it nicely, and for a guy who don't say much compliments, I take it as so, but then again, how inappropriate.

Anyways, counting down my 2 weeks and lotsa stuff to clear up. I am a trash hog!

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Funny Pics

2008-03-28T11:36:00.001+08:00

While I was sitting in one of those GP clinics one day and to break the conundrum of being bored, I scanned around the clinic to check out who was in a worser shape than me.

And then something strange caught my eye. On the receptionist's desk was a calendar (I can't quite remember from where) but it was odd.

Why was it odd?

On the calendar were pictures of people wearing lab coats, smiling at a test-tube filled with blood. And I think there was also another picture of a chap smiling pointing at what looked like a chest XR.

Urrgh. Severely demented people! Either that or bad advice given by their PR people. Since I've seen more of those silly looking people pointing at nothing and smiling pics on the papers, I tend to think they got bad advice from their PR chaps.

Have you never come across one of them silly pictures?

I guess time for the PR chaps to look for new jobs.

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What is the point of a leadership program?

2008-03-24T17:15:00.001+08:00

In my few last posts, I have been ranting and griping about my new boss, the Pointy Haired One (PHO)

PHO is very proud that he is part of my companys leadership team. They got some funny acronym, and evidently, only chosen ones are on that team (well obviously right???). Anyways, as the old foggies here say, if you don't know what it is, then you're not in it!

So anyways, PHO had been going on and on about this program, and how his No 2 is also on the program, and that another gal he had anointed to take over another team is also on the program.... blah blah balh, yadda yadda yadda, so I thought, wow, must be something to get onto to the program (perhaps not in my current state of bo chapness)

Then I found out that another boss from another team had quit, and then tried to bring his team of people with him. So when he was found out, all hell breaks loose and the shit hits the fan, y'know? So then my CEO (I used this think he was a great chap, and still do) appoints PHO onto this team as well.

I was like "WTF???" OF all 11,000 employees (yeah, you could say that 50% of the 11,000 don't qualify, and another 30% can't be bothered with this), our great CEO has only 1 option and that is to appoint the PHO onto this team as well?

I'm starting to think.. this leadership program.. isn't doing all that well, when the "inner circle" and the trustworthy are all of 1 guy, and other people have trust issues with this chap (my beloved PHO!). WOW! This is news to me.

You see, I've been kinda dumb and used to think that leadership programs are meant to nurture and grow the next generation of leaders for the organization. Succession planning some would call it. And if ever a CEO would dip into his pool of new leaders, it would in this sort of situation.

Yeah sure, you;d wanna put at experienced chap to make sure nothing goes awry but definitely, you should go with your next generation leadership team, especially if the guy is going to rebuild that team with who that is left in the team, as well as bring in new ones.

Yeah, that's my silly little, binocular view of leadership program, and if my company's current leadership program is so shallow of people with leadership quality, then I will pass when and if ever I've been asked to join. There is no point with the exception of trying to make people feel good that they belong to some silly little exclusive club in the office.

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Vista is a piece of crap

2008-03-24T11:42:00.001+08:00

I have a less that 12 months old Dell loaded with Vista Home Premium.

I've upgraded it (ie read as excuse to go Sim Lim and do a bit of shopping for toys) so that now I have an additional 500 GB disk, plus another 2 GB of ram, plus video card etc etc. All in all, my system now stands with 0.8 TB of disk space plus 4 GB of ram.

However, the OS running on the machine is a piece of crap.

Over the past 2 months, I have had to live through a litany of problems,
1) My user profile got corrupted, and I couldn't log on to do squat. it seems I am not alone, unfortunately I did not have time to read about how to rescue my old user profile, so had to redo a new one. But it has happened twice more in the recent weeks.

2) I also bought a new 4 gb flash disk which is vista native and from a reputable company (Toshiba). But the crap OS wouldn't even recognize the drive. But when I plug it into my old XP machine, poof! No problems.

And I checked around the web, and again it seems that I am not alone. One solution is to use the disk management, but lo and behold, the friggin OS says that it cannot execute the change drive letter because my disk management software is not updated and/or restart, which I did to no success.

And now Windows is asking us to upgrade to SP1. I don't think so. I am thinking of rolling back to XP, or change to Linux, but that would mean the loss a lot of software that I run.

What a fucked up OS. If only Apple would be less snobbish and reduce the price of their machines. BUt you know what, Apple knows that its OS beats the crap out of Windoze Vista, which is why it can keep its price premium.

It used to be Bill F Gates, and you can guess what F stands for. And now it would Steve F Ballmer.

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Meeting the "enemy"

2008-03-18T15:14:00.001+08:00

Since my outfit was taken over by the new boss, he has asked his people to come sit in the office.

So today I met the first of many "enemies" from the other side.

But when the person left, I felt a certain level of pitiness, or sympathy, or empathy for the person.

Why? It's because after 4 years on the job this person does not people outside her circle in the office. Not even the professional people that provides the services she markets.

So in a certain sense, I am blessed that in a short 16 months, I have made friends with many of them, perhaps not the best of friends, but certainly acquaintances with them, including their bosses. I think I have learned more than she did in 4 years, and I blame the bosses for segmenting the job scope to this minute detail.

But in thinking back, I realized that this was exactly the modus operandi that the new boss, or pointy hair one (PHO) uses in running the office. His motto: divide and conquer.

As long as no one person has all the info, the PHO is safe in doing his king making and deal making. For this person, she has all the clients list. Imagine the damage should she decide to abscond, and plus if she knew all the professional staffs. Of course, we trust that she wouldn't do such a thing, but then again, trust was never PHO's strong suites.

When she walked in to find out where to sit, she was aghast when I told her that she could sit anywhere, no difference between my level and her level, and she couldn't believe what I was telling her. Amazing.. simply amazing, in this day and age, one still uses the old school of management.

It has also become realization that I will never continue to work under such a boss. So in essence, I am biding my time here until I get a job offer (if HR can ever get their act together)

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Lessons from the Art of Happiness

2008-03-03T17:43:00.001+08:00

I have been reading this book The Art of Happiness, based on conversations with the Dalai Lama.

And I have just been faced with a situation where I could choose to be angry, or to view it objectively and rebutt the pointy haired one (PHO) with objectivity.

The scenario:
- PHO had just come back from a foreign country, where I have been trying to get some business from (and failed thus far).
- So today, he met with my other colleagues on a separate matter and had told them essentially that I had screwed up (or so they gather was the implicit meaning behind his statement)
- At issue is the registration of some of our people to service clients in that country. The work we do is regulated and thus, we must submit our papers to them to vet and approve, and it costs a lot of money.
- So his contention is that the regulatory authorities in that country does not want to approve our applications, and plus the agreement within the internal senior management was to just do x - 8, x being the number of our people who had submitted their applications, and x - 8 being the number the senior management supposedly said.
- Further the PHO says that they (the foreign government) should do it the way we do it.

When told of this, I was quite shocked, but rather than get pissed off (as I would last week), I chose to just view it with detachment and emphatized with the PHO. Further I have a clear conscience on this matter such that regardless of what he says, I am at peace.

Why am I so?

Because:
- We (as in our business) are not paying for the application, that group's boss has secured funding and I would presume have nominated x number of people for the registration, with the approval of his boss.
- I have not read anywhere that the regulatory authorities don't want to approve our application, and further, our applications have not gone to them yet!
- If the PHO has written or objective proof of such, then the clearcut way forward would be to engage the other government authorities to get them to back down.
- Further in our discussions at the time, we have not defined how many people should apply for registration, we left it to the bosses to decide, especially the boss paying the application fees.
- And finally, international law and practice states that one cannot forcibly impose one country's laws to another sovereign state, and neither can we dictate their policy.

My friends think that he is out to discredit me, and perhaps he is but so be it. We made the best decision we could with the information at hand during that time, and if we were to rewind time and do it all over again, we'd make the same decision.

As they say hindsight is always 20/20.

And I am troubled. The PHO has many years and accomplishment under his belt, why stoop so low to find fault with me? My point is that if he doesn't like my work or my decisions in the past 15 months, then say so. Note I didn't say whether he likes me or not because it is irrelevant when it comes to work.

We as adults can find a way forward, be it I go to another group, or I leave by mutual consent. I try to emphatize with PHO, for his must really have had a bad experience to be such a person who distrusts anyone associated with a "rival"

Ah well, the saga continues and we shall see what is his next move as I will not be dragged into this mess.

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On the opposite team

2008-03-03T12:31:00.001+08:00

I've just taken my first steps of exerting my rights as a Malaysian citizen.

No I am not leaving town to go vote in my hometown, but I've just donated to Jeff Ooi's campaign effort.

Does that mean I am now termed as a member of the opposition?

If so, then so be it. I'd rather see progressive people being voted in than the current bunch of cukoos in parliment.

Especially one with pubic hair as his toupee.

Untitled

2008-03-03T11:20:00.001+08:00

I got this from kennysia's blog.

Tickles me to no end, especially the last question.

According to the 100% accurate kennysia.com Who-To-Vote-This-Election Decision Generator™, I am voting for...

PARTI KEADILAN RAKYAT!

Who Should You Vote For This Election?

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Looking for Happiness

2008-02-29T13:48:00.001+08:00

After yesterday's 2x bombshell that pretty much knocked whatever self-worth I had left, Murphy's Law played an even more cruel trick on me.

Over CNY, I had SMS my friends from overseas. I was then using the then newly bought Nokia E61i to send out the sms.

I got my bill yesterday, and what a shocker. On CNY eve, I racked up $ 180 of SMS (of course roaming charges).

This is the simple calculation.
1 sms = 0.60
$180 = 300 sms.

I do not have 300 contacts/friends that I sent CNY greetings to.

So it seems for every contact, the phone accessed the network multiple times and each time it accessed the network, it was logged as an SMS.

The missus asked me to fight with Singtel and/or Nokia, but I told her plainly, seeing how my luck has pretty much run its course and need some recharging, now's not exactly the best time to go looking for a fight, for the odds are pretty much stacked against me.

So I went home to sink my head in the pillow and was pretty much afraid to sleep for most of last night for I feared what the silly brain would be thinking and with my luck, working overtime to work out other silly ideas etc etc.

Then I realized I had a gem of a book which I bought months back but hadn't gotten to reading yet. Dalai Lama's and Howard Cutler's book on The Art of Happiness.

It's a powerful book and after just reading a few pages, I could feel the batteries recharging. I began to analyse why is it that I am so unhappy with work. My physical and personal life is happy, but my working life is pretty much the craps for the past few months.

The question is whether I share my unhappiness with a potential source of the unhappiness, and still share my other thoughts with him; an act of selflessness, or should I just internalize and be on the way to seek happiness?

I do not know, but I will most likely know on Monday.

At the same time, I hope things are looking up. There may be a way out, but may not be the best fit. We'll just have to see.

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Such a disspointment

2008-02-28T14:10:00.001+08:00

I am so disappointed today on so many fronts.

First off, I have been looking for an opportunity to move away from my current job, and my ex-employer has been asking me, on and off, to consider rejoining them. In a matter of a few weeks, I have decided to take the plunge and organize a meeting between me and the man who will most likely be my boss.

The outcome, he no longer has any position open for me. He did suggest some other positions, but in all honestly, I've been there and done that and decided it wasn't my cup of tea.

Yes admittedly my reaction was a bit slow, but such a big decision, one shouldn't rush into it.

So now, I have lost 2 opportunities. One just told me they are not expanding as yet, and also the guys in the HQ did a job quite badly and nearly affected my friends. Now, I've been told by the person who had asked me to join him that he no longer has a position open for me.

Talk about bad luck.

On another front, I have been stuck in the office trying to clear up the shitz that another colleague had created over the past 6 months and who have just been fired for incompetence.

Now we are discovering the extent of his incompetence, and it really pisses me off as I wonder how anyone could be so incompetent and yet manage to pass the screening process.

The incompetence of this guy does not only cover being incompetence in executing his job, but further, he has no clue what was being discussed and what was decided. So much so that he can't even give a straight answer for a simple question.

What further galls me is that this chap is so fuckin rich that there is no consequences of him being fired from the job, and it has come down to us, the hardworkin people who depend on our monthly salary to put food on the table to clean up his shit.

Life could not get any worser than this.

Except now, he may have even caused 2 innocent people their jobs for his own stupidity and also indirectly me, because I let this shithead carry on his crap work under my nose (though I was not directly overseeing his work).

So I am angry, I am disappointed. I want to move on with life, and yet I find myself in the unenviable position where I no longer have control of my future.

I certainly hope that my own outlook that I dish out to other will happen to me now. I always say, when you are at the bottom the only way is up. Easy to say, and definitely true, but today, I find it very hard to believe nor can I see the light at the end of the tunnel.

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Malaysia: Peaceful Gathering and Riot

2008-02-18T16:39:00.001+08:00

Over the weekend, scenes of chaos in KL was again televised worldwide.

The reason: The HINDRAF activists were again gathering in KL.

However, it was challenging to find out just who had the peaceful gathering and who had the riot?

After looking through the clips, I have come to the conclusion

The HINDRAF activists were having a peaceful gathering, and generally not creating much chaos, apart from creating the traffic jam in KL. But then again, you are in KL and traffic jams are a daily occurence, so nothing new there.

So who had the riot? Most conclusively, it would have been the Police Federal Reserve Unit (FRU, or the red helmets). They definitely had the riot, testing out their tear gas guns and rattan sticks and all the other gear.

As sick as I may sound, I could think of a joke. There are 2 possibilities for the police to riot like that.
1) Their tear gas cannisters' expiry date is nearing, and rather than let it all go to waste, might as well use it.
2) The financial year is coming and they are expecting additional budget allocation to buy riot equipment, and to do that, they need to justify that they DO use the gear, thus the need to have a riot at other people's expense!

And yes, I have a sick mind!

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CNY BlowOut

2008-02-18T13:47:00.001+08:00

Just came back from CNY break.. well no, not actually. Have been back from CNY break a week ago, and then went on a 4-day MC, and I can assure you its not from too much partying and eating over CNY.

My littlest one fell ill 3 days before CNY, and 2 days before CNY I caught an eye virus that caused my eye to water and have a lot of discharge, ie eye shit! I medicated it to no avail.

And the icing on the cake. I fell sick on CNY day itself and took the next 9 days to recover from high fever and the eye infection.

Luckily my littlest one recovered a few days after CNY so she still had some time to play with her cousins.

Ah... this will be a CNY to remember... for all the wrong reasons!

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Another Encounter with the Pointy Haired One

2008-01-31T11:37:00.001+08:00

I am now calling my boss the pointy haired one, an inspiration I got from Dilbert.

Over the past couple of days I have been doing my online submission for annual leave for CNY. Then stupid me, I forgot that I needed to take an additional half day because I will be going on an early evening flight, which means I can't afford to leave the office late.

Anyways, I got an email from the PHO (pointy haired one) stating..

"I have informed my staff that before they apply for leave, they should seek my approval by giving me the reasons for being away. This is the trust that I have with staff.

Therefore, in the future, please let me know before hand. Its okay even if you are attending an interview or just....."

I was shocked beyond all believe. I have never had this from ANY boss, even Juon. Usually, I'll just let them know if I am contactable or not.

Now just look at the potential consequences of me telling him:-
a) going for an interview. He will most likely take me off any projects I am working on, thus accelerating my resignation from the company, or worst, spreading words about me.
b) running errands. Most probably will say that it can be done over the weekend.
c) playing golf. Most likely will say that I can play over the weekend as well
d) just want to laze around the house and scratch my balls. Will most likely make him think that I am a slacker.

HELLO!!! Wake up buddy. You are no longer in the twilight zone, you are in the the 21st century. My annual leave is my entitlement, and how I use it is up to me. I will just let you know that I will be gone from this day to this day, and trust me to have everything handled OK??

Whether I am going to pig out on food, or decide to do a Chua Soi Lek.. it is up to me!

However, the strongest reaction came from the missus whom I forward the email to. Her reaction: F*CKER!! HAHAHA. I guess I am not the only one feeling violated by the email!

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Man of not many words.... Or feelings

2008-01-24T16:36:00.000+08:00

I fell sick last night. Nonetheless I showed up at work as I have a project to hand in. So like a loyal employee, I discharged my responsibilities for the day and then told the boss i was heading home to rest as i was feeling unwell.

His reply: ok.

thats it, no take care, no words of comfort.

mebbe i am a softie, but i believe the boss should emphatize with his subordinates. Emphatize, i think he needs to learn the meaning of the word.

Interesting Lunch

2008-01-23T17:57:00.001+08:00

I went for lunch with an ex-colleague, just to see how he was, and how he was coping with work.

As you may know, with the recent change in boss, I've been thinking a lot about my future and where should my career aspirations take me.

The one thing that I am set on is that is has to be project based, and should ideally involve technology and investments (at some point).

THis is not to say that my job is in jepordy, but quite contrary. I believe it will be safe, as there has been no reason to let me go. In fact, I am now working on a short term project for the new boss, and I think I can do an equally good job as the rest of the chaps that he has hired on his own (if you will I am like a bastard child to him as I was hired by his predecessor).

So right now, I am stuck in a quandary.

For one, I have gone for ONE interview, and have not actively looked elsewhere. This job is definitely something that I would like to do, Only problem being that the overseas bosses take their own sweet time to make up their minds.

My other option is to go back to my old work place across the street, especially since Juon has left the organization. Unfortunately, the politics that I left behind is still at play, silly people making silly decisions, and worst of all, there is no longer that investment mandate. Therefore, however tempting, I am not inclined to go back, to the longing to be somewhere familiar can sometimes be overwhelming.

Another option possibly open to me is to transfer from my current position laterally and move into the team that has been left leaderless as well with the move of my old boss. This team has potential, but honestly the current guy in charge is unable to execute, much less do things. I get along well with his underlings, and in fact, his underlings see me as more of their boss compared to him. It also comes with good exposure is the reporting officer is the chief.. the head honcho himself.

With the exposure also comes the risk of screwing up, but hey such is life.

The only thing that is keeping me from opening my mouth is that ONE job interview that I am still waiting for an answer. Question is how long do I wait for this opportunity before the next window of opportunity closes. Say if I activate the head honcho, and he says yes, and this interview comes back and say they want me. Then really quite a shitty situation to be in isn't it?

Sometimes, I do wish that life could be simpler.

Any suggestions? I am willing to listen (or read in this case)!

PS. May not be such a good idea to recommend looking at the classifieds as the type of job I do usually is not advertised.

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New Boss Takes the helm

2008-01-14T17:57:00.001+08:00

TOday marks the day that the new boss officially takes the helm.

And for his first team meeting, we spent more than 1 hour listening to him tell his stories about his exploits in the past, his management mantra, and his background, et etc.

His definition of trust is this:
- he trusts you know how to do the job
- he trusts that you will not skive on the job, ie come in on time, not leave early
- he trusts that you will not abuse the internet access (like what I am doing now).

I mean, c'mon how many people in this current day and age does not use the internet for their own personal stuff?

Did we just get transported into the dark ages again? Heavens, I used to remember a time when Internet access was restricted to "need to use" basis but that was like 10 years ago when 56K was fast!

To be honest, it was the most wasteful 1 hour that I have had in a long time with a member of the senior management. And plus I think after that spichl, he is no longer carbon neutral and became a nett carbon emitter.

Ah, long naggy days ahead. *SIGH*

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Honorary titles

2008-01-11T10:15:00.001+08:00

How does one use honorary titles?

Are you able to flash it around, or can you only use it when you are at the university that gave you the title?

Any thoughts?

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My resignation letter - what i can submit, and what i want to write

2008-01-09T15:17:00.001+08:00

OFFICIAL VERSION:
Dear so and so,

I hereby tender my resignation effective as of today. I shall serve out my notice period of 1 month and my last working day will be 30 days from now (I guess).

I thank you for the opportunity that this organization has given to me.

Your sincerely.

XXX

REAL VERSION:
dear So and So

I am sick and tired to working in this anal organization. I go on business trips, and hope that I get reimbursed for expenses paid in time the credit card bills me for it.

I am suspicious of where your allegiance lies. Are you more intent on siphoning work to your foreign partners or to our own people.

I think you will be happy to note that I have just put my career growth on reverse gear, just about back by 4 years. I have you note that prior to this job, I was a project manager managing multiple high tech projects, each with funding in excess of 1 million dollars. SO do you really think that I will be your minion? I don't think so.

So essentially you can take your titles and shove it.

And I have you know that in every job that I have held down, I have been a valued member of the staff, perhaps I don't fit into what you consider as loyal employee, but I put my heart and soul into work.

So there you have it... I QUIT!

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Shite at Work

2008-01-09T15:01:00.001+08:00

After close to 15 month of bliss working in a new place and for a boss, who for once, I can "kam-cheng" with, he had to go and leave to go on to greener pastures. So now in his place is an old-fart, completely old-school and one that likes people to butter his ass.

I got this on my inbox, of which I will censor and fudge to protect my own ass.

I note that you have been using the designation Director as a functional title. You can still continue to use the title, until we recruit a Director or we want to change our marketing strategies.

my retort: geez, thanks a lot for your utter kindness. I don't really know what to say... I am thinking either of the following: OH! Thank you sooo very much that I could kiss the very ground you walk on,
or this: You can kiss my farking ass and shove the title where the sun and moon daren't go!

Mr So and So, who is my No 2 will be appointed to be Director as a secondary appointment and deputise for me as the Big Kahuna in my absence.

my retort: huh... I actually don't have one.

While it had brought clarity to where I stand in this job, I think back and literally just want to fark myself for getting into such a silly situation. I actually gave up a job offer months ago because I thought I was expanding on my managerial roles, and managing some junior staff. And now, I find myself back where I was about 4 years ago, again with no one reporting to me and worst, on the same standing as some more junior staff. So so much for climbing the corporate ladder.

And so as I have joked, I have been relegated from the Premier League to Division 1 standing. Joke as I may, but I'm really pissed off.

Worst of all, even on projects that the new Big Kahuna has no farking idea on, he insists on being the gatekeeper between him and the Bigger Kahuna. And this is quite a big change as I am used to unfettered access to my Bigger Kahunas. So now whatever access I would like (and not that I am an attention seeking arsehole), it's officially blocked.

Ah, so what am I to do. Let's hope that my "interview" pass muster with the big boys in London, and soon too. The best ang pow I could have is a new job offer for the job I passed up months back.

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Blogging and Politics, and my new potential toys

2008-01-03T16:24:00.001+08:00

Happy New Year

To the occasional reader, I have been writing for about 2 years now.

Time to stop???? Perhaps not. But certainly, the scope of the writing has moved on to newer pastures, perhaps for the better, reflecting on a growing maturity that I have experienced (some call it growing old).

My passions still remain as watching politics, especially in Malaysia, and I do not mean to hypocritical of a country I love so dearly, but I am pained every time I see injustice in the country being committed by the very people who's election ballot logo is supposed to represent justice.

Recently having come back from KL, all I can say is that there is nothing wrong with the country, on the surface. But I think one has only to look from afar to see all that is wrong. Rather than bring the various races together, BN exists only as convenience. Everything has to go back to UMNO, so there is actually no BN, only UMNO.

UMNO and its misguided politics has dragged Malaysia back into history rather than bravely forging onwards. The races have grown apart. The Indians are fighting back for they have nothing to loose, the Malays are fighting back for they have everything to win and everything to loose, and the Chinese... well I think they are the worst off for they have nothing to win but everything to loose.

The middle class strata that so strongly defined Malaysia when I was growing up is quickly eroded. Soon it will be like Jakarta or Manila, with the rich being super rich and the poor being super poor. Except, the poor will be those non-Bumis and those unfavored Bumis.

I stepped into KLCC and Mid Valley and I stood in awe of the shopping. It is as good, if not better than Orchard Road, but who can afford all this? Why is the money spent on frivalous stuff? Why is Malaysia spending money on arms and not on schools?

For that I am grateful to be in the good hands of the men and women in White across the longkang.

But I diverge.

Actually, my posts will be sporadic and will mostly take on a political or golf undertone. Sometimes it will be about new gadgets, such as the E61i that I am current eyeing. So does anyone have any comments on the E61i? I've been a user of HTC manufactured phones, and am mulling a change of brand. I was looking at the Moto Q9H but missed the use of WiFi on the handset.

So in the end, I think I will go for the E61i as a stop gap. My ideal would have been the upcoming Samsung SGH i780, but knowing my luck it will come out the week after I buy my new handset.

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I've got the POWER!!!

2008-01-03T15:51:00.001+08:00

That must have been what Chua Soi Lek was thinking about when doing that nasty with his "personal friend".

I've always said that Malaysian politics is WAYYY more interesting than Singapore politics.

We've got the sex minister, much less the Health minister. Marina got it right when she hope they had safe sex.

Then we got Samy.. the everlast Samy, regardless of what people say, you have gotta respect his staying power, thoguh there isn't much to show for especially the Indian community.

Finally, Malaysia must be a free and democratic country (one that doesn't need public displays of disobedience) because there is free "erections"

Ahh.. such is the quality of the Malaysian politicians.

I think Raja Petra hit it right on the nail when he mentioned that the non-Bumis who can, have done so (leaving Malaysia). It's not about patriotism, but about opportunities for oneself and ones next generation. The way that Malaysia is degrading into, the non-Bumis will have a hard time making a buck without having to pay "rent" to some Bumis.

Sure there'll still be opportunities abound, but just wait until next economic downturn.

There are good, hardworking, smart Bumis, and I know some of them. Unfortunately, they are too smart to enter into politics and get sucked into the black hole that is racial and money politics that plague Malaysia.

Happy New Year Malaysia, and I am happy to watch politics from across the water passively.

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End of Year Blues

2007-12-05T15:04:00.001+08:00

Can't believe time has passed so quickly. And I've gradually lost my muse(s) that gets my blood going and subsequently become fodder for my posting.

Back into politics in Malaysia, all I can say is that we live in interesting times.

Why is this so? Is life really all that different from 10 years back? I guess yes and no.

Yes because the government can no longer underestimate the power of the internet and its vast distribution of network, so no longer will a centralized mouthpiece new source suffice to carry the message across. We find it becoming easier to get people to protest, to highlight the plight of the underclass (irregardless of race or religion). I think that has moved into the favor of the Opposition (such as the BERSIH movement, as well as the Hindraf movement).

Rightly or wrongly, I find that most of the people elected into the government is still in the dark ages, and not really comprehending the power of the Internet. A few of them get it, but to the vast majority, it's beyond their comprehension.

Therefore I see it as a "prime directive" of sort for the BN nation to continue to suppress the underclass, especially the poorer Malays as that is the only way that they will stay in power, and continue to promise to bring them to the promiseland that is the NEP. If everyone benefits from the economy, then there would be no need for the NEP, and thus, the end of race-based politics.

No, I guess because life goes on. KL becomes more metropolitan, and the devide between those seen as more pious and the Westernized becomes wider to a point where it will explode.

No because the minorities are still being supressed, and those smart enough to make the call is leaving the country.

Ah.. but then that is the dichotomy that has driven Malaysian politics for the past 50 years. I dread to see what then next 50 years will bring.

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Golfing

2007-11-29T10:22:00.001+08:00

Been a long time.....

Just to report, I went golfing with my cousins about 2 weeks (already???) in Palm Villa.

I've played that course before, and it's not too terrible nor difficult.

My score was probably the lowest that I have gotten in the past 6 years. 98, and yet I still lost and had to pay for lunch!.. I think!?!?!

Anyways, the key differentiator in the game was my new driver. Apart from 2 holes that I bombed an 8, most of the time I did OK in terms of tee'ing off. It's still got an ugly hook, but works when you have a dog-leg left. The one dog right, i managed to hit it straight and proper.

My irons were also the life saver especially when the driver deserted me. My 5-wood, I can pretty much retire that club without affecting my game. The life saver club for me that day (and days past) was my 3 iron as I was able to get 180 or so meters on it.

And now I know my swing speed or the club head speed. On one of the holes, my cuz whipped our his new toy. Some radar gadget that measured how fast the club head is moving. You just put the thingamajig close to the tee, and it registers how fast you swing. I came in at the fastest for that hole, which was aroung 100+ mph or kph. didn't know the unit of measurement. But accordign to my cuz, that speed will get me an extra 20 - 30 meters of distance.

So I guess what I lack in consistency and direction is made up by speed.. not sure if that is a good trade-off!

Anyways, it looks to be my only game for the next few weeks as I prepare to pack my kid to primary school and enjoying her last holidays as a kindy-kid.

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First Brush with Charismatic, Evangelical Christian Sect

2007-10-09T15:22:00.001+08:00

After some thinking, I decided to remove most of this post.

Why? Because if my friend had inadvertantly read it, it would compromise my true identity. And at the same token, I felt that I had become like the same person who had incensed me at that session by his preaching in the first place.

As I reflected, Buddhism teaches one of loving kindness and forgiveness. How one should reflect on all things to make a decision if an action was noble or not. In reflection, the post was not noble, and as such, I have decided to erase it and leave it as that: an act that left a foul taste in my mouth, and to be forgiven for his own ignorance.

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Golf at TMCC

2007-10-05T11:22:00.001+08:00

I had the opportunity to get invited to play at the Tanah Merah CC, actually my first time ever playing in Singapore.

I was armed with a new weapon, a "cheong" Cleveland Hi Bore XL 2 wood which I got off a friend (who wanted to get the real thing). To me, it's irrelevant as long as I can get some distance from the t-box, that's all I am concerned about and it was good to finally get a a decent hit off the tee.

Anyways, my 1st hole was a disaster off the tee, and I thought that this was going to be the flavour of the game. My first shot took an awful hook and went into the drink, and then I lost another ball, of all the silliest thing, lost in some thick grass.

Later on, I still did loose balls, and I somehow had a fondness for the trees, but my luck changed as the trees pretty much cooperated and push the ball to somewhere I could reach.

My drive was also quite good, and my irons were also good. So despite loosing balls, I still managed to average a double bogey on some of the holes.

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A dark day for Burma, Myanmar and ASEAN

2007-09-27T10:07:00.001+08:00

Last night I read with trepidation that the violence in Yangon has lead to deaths of people, people who belong to the Sangha, unarmed people, people who have suffered at the hands of the heartless despotic junta.

I laud the actions of Western government, and feel ashamed to belong to the ASEAN grouping, which has turned out to be a toothless tiger.

These leaders will not listen. Absolute power corrupts absolutely.

As long as ASEAN leaders walk softly and yet do not have a big stick they (the Generals in Myanmar) will not listen.

While I oppose that the countries send their armies into Burma, but what I do support is unrestricted sanctions from ALL countries (yeah and that includes you guys in Moscow and Beijing and New Dehli) and travel restrictions on all those associated with the Junta, and then actively and overtly speak only with the opposition (in essence a mirror government)

Yes I am no diplomat, and neither do I have the skills for diplomacy, but reading and watching unarmed civilians die in the hands of thugs just riles my blood.

Buddhist... no People of the world.. you gotta stand up for your brothers and sisters in Burma today and show that they are not alone in their struggle.

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Myanmar: ASEAN Get off your sorry arse!

2007-09-26T15:57:00.001+08:00

I just came from a meeting and saw that the frekin' junta arseholes in Myanmar is beating up helpless, peaceful Buddhist monks.

And DOES the ASEAN countries do? Twiddle their thumbs and walk with their tails between their legs.

When will it ever stop? THis policy of non-interference, will it stop when there is a massacre?

Even the idiot Bushy is doing something about it, and Western leaders have all spoken out on it. But how about us ASEAN leaders... harrumph.. twiddle their thumbs.

Making Myanmar the pariah of ASEAN simply does not work. THere needs to be active participation, like sending in the peacekeepers, monitors, or even better, actively destablize the country ruling junta to usher in democracy.

I'm so pissed at the politicians and their lack of political will power to do anything about this.

technorati tags:myanmar, monks, buddhist monks, protest, military junta, violence, peace, democracy

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Losing an eye-washing opportunity

2007-08-31T14:29:00.001+08:00

Just found out that an ex-colleague was leaving for another job.

What a loss, for the opportunity to chat with her as well as the many times I snuck a peek at her derriere.

She's does have a nice derriere and with her office pants, always nice to see.

Anyways, this job is good for her, and I am happy she's moving on. And I still believe the husband is one luck guy... if you know what I mean ;)

technorati tags:derriere, friend, quitting

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Happy Birthday Malaysia, and most probably goodbye

2007-08-31T14:27:00.001+08:00

As the days rumble along, I find myself reading about all the good stuff that Tengku Abdul Rahman and his guys did to gain independence, and I think to myself... what courage, what vision, what passion. The dreams they all had for Malaya, and then Malaysia.

Then I turn to see the online news (The Star being my usual morning "coffee") and then to check with the alternative news (Malaysia-Today), and I think to myself: What a waste of effort and opportunity.

As I had said before, I think Malaysia is moving backwards both in terms of thinking and outlook for its people. During my younger days, I'd watch P Ramlee shows and the ladies were all dressed in the tightest baju kebaya. Right now, that would be haram and frowned upon by the majority of Malays in the country.

Where did it all go so wrong?

Now the politicians are constantly reminding Malaysians that we are all different, and we have got to live with it. So much for Bangsa malaysia, or having friends from different races. When I was growing up (which wasn't too long ago), I didn't really see that the color of my skin mattered.. perhaps until I was in Secondary school, form 5 to be exact. To see my Malay friends succeed in getting into the local U's when I could only overseas (much to my benefit - in hindsight). It didn't really mattered to us what we looked like or talked, we always hang together in school, cutting classes and avoiding the discipline master!

But I can safely say that I do have friends from other races now that I am in Singapore. I have Indian, Malay and Caucasian friends.. and it now really doesn't matter what you looked like because we all got where we are today because of the system that purposely rejects racism.

Priorities are all skewed. The ministers are going after a youngster trying to show off his creative skills and making a big hue and cry about in the papers.. and for what? a song? a parody of Negaraku. The song's been changed before, so there is precedence.

Yet the same people has put a gag order on the new regarding the bailing out of Port Klang Free Zone, which will hit the people in the pocket (indirectly - as you would have paid your taxes already, and directly if EPF comes into the picture). How's that for priority? Don't tell the rakyat how the government will waste your hard-earned money to bail out a crony, but please flame the passions of race on NameWee.

So happy birthday Malaysia, and most probably goodbye as I will be one of those non-returning Malaysians. Why? Its definitely not because I do not love my country, but its because I hate the way politicians have turned a country with so much promise into something that's a bastardized version that Tengku and his fellow "pejuang merdeka" had envision.

technorati tags:malaysia, merdeka, independence, 50 years, tengku abdul rahman, cronyism, corruption, crime, rape, murder, PKFZ, port klang free zone

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Colorgenics

2007-08-28T15:21:00.001+08:00

I wa traipsing through Finicky F's blog when I saw her post on Colorgenics, and decided to give it a shot. But results or what it lead to way less than stellar.

Another way an entrepreneur tries to pry hard earned money from your hands... by giving you a freebie to tell you and hopefully you will then discover an unmet need.

Cute, and here's my profile:

" You are the sort of person that needs a peaceful environment. You seek release from stress and freedom from conflicts and disagreements, of which you seem to have had more than your fair share. But you are taking pains to control the situation by proceeding cautiously and you are right in doing so as you are a very sensitive person.

You enjoy taking part in anything that may constitute fun and excitement. You need to be stimulated and need to feel that 'Life is worth living' and you are awaiting that stimulation and you don't particularly care where it comes from!

You are a perfectionist in everything that you put your hand to. You are demanding and very exacting in the standards you apply to your choice of colleagues and friends -perhaps you demand too much from people. That perfection you seek in a particular person is illusive - perhaps it does not even exist.

It is said that we are all influenced by our environment and indeed you are no exception. It would seem at this time that even though you may be surrounded by people, you are experiencing an inner loneliness. Fortunately you are sufficiently strong minded to realise that life has a great deal to offer you and that you may miss your share of experiences if you fail to make the best use of every opportunity. You therefore pursue your objectives with a fierce intensity and are prepared to commit yourself deeply and readily. You believe that whatever you would like to do or think 'you can do' - you do! It is because of this attitude that you may be considered by others as arrogant and even conceited, but its fair to say that whatever it is that you really want out of life you will put your heart and soul into it and will not take 'NO' for an answer.

You have so many ideas that you would like to revitalise but you need to realise a stable and peaceful condition to do so. Once you can free yourself from all the aggravation and tension around you, you will make strides that may amaze you. You will not be prevented from achieving all the things you so desire."

Allow me to give a quick comment on the above statement.

Para 1.

Yes I do need a peaceful environment (and who doesn't), and I do try to resolve disputes or issues, but my colleagues would hardly call me sensitive. My family perhaps, but never my colleagues.. who will most likely label me either a good boss or a prick of a boss (depending on which side of the fence you have to be at)

Para 2.

Righto.

Para 3.

Righto. This is where I get referred to as a Prick of a Boss. However, my wife would beg to differ and she would say that I have too much of a laid-back personality... too "bo chap"

Para 4.

Righto.

Para 5.

THis is where the "unmet need" that I didn't know I needed (thus unmet) comes about. Naw, I firmly believe in Reebok (though the shoe pretty much suck.. for jogging anyways) "Life is Short, Play Hard"

So end result: quite close to how it describes me, but nope, not gonna spend money to learn how to break free from whatever.

technorati tags:finicky feline, colorgenics, entrepreneur, money, moolah, accurate

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NameWee and the ruckus he caused

2007-08-21T13:51:00.001+08:00

If you are a Malaysian and you have not heard about a blogger or netizen called nameWee, you are either living under a coconut shell or in a coma.

I have seen both the purported "bad" videos and all I can say is... he is a good rapper. And he has done no wrong that I can see. Yes, it is in bad taste to rap using a sample of Negaraku, but I think more to the point... is that he has a point.

I pride myself on being a rational guy with a multicultural outlook and friends, and the content of his rap... been there, done that. No thanks to the NEP.

Some points is understandably has a bad taste ie the morning azan call by the mosque, but I am amazed at how much effort he has put into the video.

Let's for a second forget all this crap about national unity (there isn't any when the higher echelon of UMNO continues to brandish the kris), being against the law (there are many more high profile murders that have not been solved) etc but if one looks at the genesis of rap, you will find that it got its roots as a form of social commentary but in the musical form.

It is another outlet for the disenchanted to let go steam.

So with the amount to crap that's flying about on this issue, I think the people are overlooking the current Port Klang fiasco (another bailout using citizen's hard-earned money), bad quality busses, the Judicial crisis which I believe all things being equal is more important that one young chap who is angry and using the Internet to voice his dissastifaction.

Namewee.. I think regardless on how you feel about Malaysia, best to continue your musical career in Taiwan or Hong Kong for the country you love so much doesn't give a shit about you, and in fact is looking to make you a scapegoat in all their grand scheme of scheming. You are talented, and don't let a bunch of numbnuts in the Malaysian parliment tell you otherwise.

technorati tags:namewee, negaraku, rap, commentary, umno, port klang free trade zone, port klang, Judiciary, crisis, raja nazrin

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So deep and insightful.

2007-08-06T17:34:00.001+08:00

THis is the keynote from Raja Nazrin, extracted from Malaysia Today blog.

06/08: Challenges and prospects for nation-building: A lesson for the young and bright
Category: General Posted by: Raja Petra
The Sun

Keynote address by the Raja Muda of Perak, Raja Dr Nazrin Shah, at the first annual Student Leaders Summit 2007 -- "Celebrating 50 Years of Nationhood" -- on Aug 5, 2007, at Nikko Hotel, Kuala Lumpur.

I am delighted to be here this morning to deliver the keynote address at this Summit, dedicated as it is to Youth. All of you in this room are the creme de la creme of the young generation -- those fortunate enough and intelligent enough to benefit from the best education. You are the future leaders of this nation.

This morning, I want to talk to you about the challenges and prospects for nation-building. Nation-building refers to the structuring of a country, with the help of state power, to ensure a strong national identity that is viable in the long run. It is predicated on national unity and is a topic of utmost importance to all of us, not least the younger generation. Fifty years of the national relay race has been run. Soon the baton will be handed to those of you who will run the next lap. The Malaysia familiar to most, if not all, of you is the modern prosperous nation with its increasingly urban population and robust middle class; not the poor and predominantly agricultural society of 50 years ago. When Malaysia gained independence, we were on a par with countries like Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Ghana, Morocco and Senegal in terms of per capita income. Today we have far surpassed these countries in economic growth and human development.

However, it is important to be aware that this was a far-fetched vision 50 years ago. The first Merdeka generation, almost overnight, found themselves tasked with an onerous job when Malaysia gained independence. The country was born against the backdrop of a virulent communist insurgency. Poverty was widespread, particularly in the rural areas. There was very little sense of unity and national identity. The states that made up the federation were only loosely integrated. Many people regarded themselves primarily as natives of their state rather than as nationals of Malaya. The enlargement of Malaya into Malaysia in 1963 was vigorously opposed by our neighbours, leading to confrontation with Indonesia. After the traumatic events of 1969, many predicted the imminent disintegration of Malaysian society.

That we have been able to forge a successful nation without resorting to the rule of the gun makes us something of an oddity in a region of coups, civil strife and people power. This has been due in large part to wise leadership, the innate good sense of the Malaysian people -- and a bit of luck. Today, the nine Sultanates, two Straits Settlements and the two states in Borneo have united in a tangible way despite historical separation and physical distance. Development policies and communication channels have managed to fuse together the myriad religions and ethnic groups and forged a sense of belonging and shared destiny.

Malaysia is one of the very few countries with a diverse mix of race and religion that have been able to do this. Our peace momentum is also demonstrated on the international arena. Malaysia played a seminal role in the creation Asean and its enlargement from six members to 10, then Asean plus 3. It still has a lead role in the first moves towards a regional architecture, particularly the East Asian Summit

Our group culture is very distinct from the individualism of the west. We participate actively in one another's cultural and lifestyle choices. We celebrate festivities together, we learn and speak one another's languages, we wear each other's traditional costumes, we appreciate different arts and types of music. A chat over teh tarik is an example of a typically Malaysian pastime that all races and ages take delight in.

However, every coin has two sides. Let us not be naive in thinking it is all a rosy picture. There is still much room for improvement. Interaction between the ethnic groups, to the extent that it exists, remains more of an urban phenomenon. In recent years, ethnic identities appear to have become more explicit. In some instances, what divides us has become more emphasised than what unites us.

When the New Economic Policy (NEP) was established, it was to address the problem of economic function being identified along the lines of ethnicity, and the problem of widespread poverty. All quarters of society came to an agreement that in order for nation-building to proceed, certain sacrifices had to be made to help the underperforming groups. But it was not a case where one party was to benefit at another's expense. Distribution was to take place within the context of a growing economy. It was meant to be a situation of give-and-take that would result in economic growth shared by all segments of society.

Today, the give-and-take attitude seems to have dissipated. Malaysians are exhibiting signs of polarisation along ethnic and religious lines. Some groups bear grudges against what is perceived as preferential treatment. Others regard preferential treatment as an indisputable entitlement.

Moreover, the impasse at the global level between Islam and non-Islam affects even a moderate country like Malaysia. Matters of faith are topics of immense controversy. They provoke overzealousness and coercive action, and drive Malaysians further and further away from each other. Our diversity was meant to be our unique asset. The Federal Constitution and the Rukun Negara institutionalised living together in peaceful, harmonious co-existence. Yet years after Merdeka, we are still grappling with concerns about unity.

So what are the challenges to nation-building that we need to face head on? To me, the challenges are many, but the one that stands out is the need to balance change with continuity. The current phase of nation-building should be in tune with the temper of the times to reflect the new realities of the modern world. We are facing a globalised environment where excellence and meritocracy are the rule of the game.

Opportunities in the global world reward those with ability, regardless of colour or creed. A multi-ethnic country like ours has to be especially watchful. In the absence of a strong national identity, we are prone to polarisation and competition along ethno-religious lines. Therefore, a most expert balancing act is required to maintain socio-political stability while not losing out on global competitiveness.

As I have said elsewhere, to ensure sustained success at nation-building, Malaysians of all races, religions, and geographic locations need to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that they have a place under the Malaysian sun. Only when each citizen believes that he or she has a common home, is presented common opportunities, given due recognition and is working towards a common destiny, will he or she make the sacrifices needed for the long haul.

Managing change is not easy and nation-building does not occur naturally in any society, let alone a pluralistic one. Allow me to suggest three essentials for effective and sustained nation-building.

The first is the Rule of Law and the inviolability of the constitution. The constitution is the supreme law of the country which guarantees fundamental liberties to every citizen. A cleverly crafted document, it clearly provides for adequate checks and balances against excesses through the separation of powers between the executive, legislative and judicial branches -- with each protected from encroachment by the other.

It has often been said that many a misunderstanding may be avoided if the principles embodied in the constitution are adhered to strictly. Upholding the Rule of Law is paramount. In this connection, I can do no better than to quote the words of Baroness Helena Kennedy QC, a leading jurist, when she delivered the Sultan Azlan Shah Law Lecture in Kuala Lumpur last month:

"Law is the bedrock of a nation; it tells us who we are, what we value. It regulates our human relationships one to the other and our relationships as citizens with the state. Law is cultural. It comes out of the deep wellsprings of history and experience within a country...

"The rule of law is one of the tools we use in our stumbling progress towards civilising the human condition: a structure of law, with proper methods and independent judges, before whom even a government must be answerable. It is the only restraint upon the tendency of power to debase its holders. As we know, power is delighful and absolute power is absolutely delighfful.

"We must be the protectors of those who are vulnerable to abuse. We have to stand up and be counted. We have to protect the things that make our nations great..."

The second element necessary in nation-building is economic and social justice for all. All groups in society, regardless of ethnic group, religion or gender, must participate in making decisions that affect their lives and livelihood. They must have a voice and a place in all sectors. They must carry equal responsibilities in making society work. The people we work and play with, the friendships we make, must never be constrained by ethnicity. Preconceptions, parochialism and chauvinism can be eradicated if we interact actively with others of a different ethnic group or religion -- even if it is just one teacher, one man or one schoolmate. In many areas, this is absent and it must change.

The third requisite to nation-building is good governance and a thriving civil society. Institutions of governance must demonstrate and generate norms and behaviour that are fundamentally efficient, productive and just. Only those who are capable, responsible and scrupulously honest should be allowed to serve in positions of leadership. Those who are inefficient, incompetent and, most importantly, corrupt should be held in absolute contempt. There must also be concrete anti-corruption measures and management practices based on efficiency, transparency and accountability. It is also very important that we have leaders who are earnest in maintaining unity, never resorting to religious or ethnic posturing to further their political careers at the expense of peace and security. Should they fail in this respect, they must be held accountable and answerable before the law.

What can you do to help promote national unity? I'm going to assume you are still at an age when you are still idealistic -- that you wish to improve the human condition. That you are patriotic. That you believe in friendship and peace. That you would rather build than destroy. You are in the best position to tenaciously forge this nation. Let me suggest a few ways how you can contribute towards Malaysia's continued success at nation-building.

First, get a copy of the Federal Constitution and familiarise yourselves with it. The constitution is the supreme law of the land. It guarantees the rights of every Malaysian. As such, the integrity of that document must be protected.

Second, study the nation's history, particularly the lives and works of past leaders who have sacrificed so much for this country. One such leader is Tun Dr Ismail. He was an exemplary Malaysian. He envisaged a Malaysia for all without colour lines, without ethnic borders and without any one group feeling a sense of inferiority. He recognised the importance of open-mindedness in addressing day-to-day issues and problems; the importance of listening and learning from others, particularly from those who are more advanced. He strongly believed in the principle of life-long learning, visiting other lands and adopting best practices without losing our core values and our identity as a nation. He had the interest of the nation at heart and went beyond the call of duty in the service of his nation. He put his country above himself and served till the very last day of his life. The leadership, sincerity, sacrifices and integrity of Tun Dr Ismail and other leaders of his generation should serve to inspire the next generation of leaders.

Third, you must take personal ownership over the wellbeing of the country. Do not succumb to indifference and apathy. Hold on to your ideals. Do not give way to cynicism and opportunism. Believe that you can make a difference. Channel your energies in a constructive manner to bring about positive changes around you.

Fourth, participate actively in community service that is geared towards promoting interaction between communities. Volunteer your spare time and energy to work with Malaysians from other walks of life and ethnic groups.

Fifth, be prepared to serve your country to the best of your ability. All of you represent the valuable future human capital this country needs. The outside world knows the value of our best brains, which is why they set out to attract our people, creating a brain drain for us. Do not exacerbate the problem of the brain drain. Also, do not be averse to building a career in public service. I believe all of us have some innate desire to serve. Always think nation first.

More than anything, Malaysia needs a future generation of leaders with unquestionable integrity. In countries where specialised expertise and technical know-how are lacking, they can be imported from elsewhere. But integrity, by definition, is something that cannot be bought or hired. You and the quality of leadership you provide are the key to continued peace and harmony in Malaysia. At a time when new powers like China and India are rising, we cannot afford to lose our harmony dividend. It is the anchor of this nation.

The Merdeka generation after a tough climb managed to make it to base camp. The summit lies ahead and I can guarantee you that it will be an arduous climb. But it can also be exhilarating. It will need climbers who are skilled, courageous, confident and above all, steadfast. To face the challenges ahead, you need a bedrock faith in what you and our country stand for. I wish all of you the very best in your future.

SIGH... why are those in a position to change Malaysia NOT in a position to do anything much about it.

In the end, you get feral acting people like this influencing the future of Malaysia.

technorati tags:raja nazrin, thoughful, keynote, merdeka, law, khairy, umno, money politics

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JOKE OF THE WEEK!

2007-08-06T10:32:00.001+08:00

What a way to start a Monday.

From the Star:

Umno is not racist, says Khairy

KLANG: Umno Youth deputy chief Khairy Jamaludin has refuted allegations by the Opposition that the movement practises racism.

“I don’t understand how the accusation come about – calling us racist. In fact, Umno always emphasises on the power-sharing concept and history has proven it.

“Ijok is a good example, where an Indian candidate was nominated despite a Malay majority in the constituency. This had been repeated in many other constituencies.

“How can we be racist, when we are defending equality?” he asked after opening the Kapar Umno division youth delegates meeting here yesterday.

Khairy also said that Selangor did not need a comprehensive development blueprint from the Federal Government as it was already a well-developed state.

He said such development plans should be channelled to the less developed states such Kelantan, Terengganu and Pahang.

See the link \

Comments:

Well, then I'll be a monkey's uncle!

All that kris waving, all that ~~threat~~ talk about not touching on the NEP, all that about Malaysia being an Islamic country and NO one, much less a non-Muslim can openly dispute that.

Must be equality. Has to be because Oxford-educated Khairy says so.

YUP EQUALITY, and we'll continue to preach on this equality.

technorati tags:umno, malaysia, khairy, equality, nep, racist, kris, discrimination, malay

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Life is an Irony

2007-07-26T15:59:00.001+08:00

About 2 weeks ago, I received good news... no make that excellent news.

The cause of my depature from my old job (trust me, I've gotten over it except for that woman), one that I shall call Juon - because she looked scary as hell if you had met her at night in the middle of a lonely street, had left my old workplace.

Yippee, as I told the numerous people whom she had wronged in her 18 month stint. She was a complete waste of:

1) space

2) work

3) Productivity

4) air

5) time

when she was running my old outfit. She was clearly not the right person for the job, perhaps at an officer level below me perhaps but definitely not as my superior. In her 18 months, she really had no outcomes that she could say was her own.

My ex-secretary was complaining that till the last day, she had not gotten her head completely screwed on to do a proper handover to her boss.

All's well right, Juon out of my hair, and hopefully fade into the sunset.. and aghast! to my horror, I found out that her next job would be looking for M&A targets for a national fund from far away.

No doubt she had used her 18 months in my old workplace to polish up her CV, and most likely put in things that she did claimed she did, but did not actually (perhaps her only involvement was that we all had to write some report to her). Her participation in the boards of some of our poftfolio companies woudl also be a CV polisher (she sat on the board of , I believe, 3-4 companies - the prize of which was a company who already had a fantastic management team, and profitable when she was appointed to the BOD)

And if I ever got back into the investment line... there would be a chance that I would run into Juon.

Sometimes I really hate the ironies of life! Like this time!

F**K!

technorati tags:juon, scary ex-boss, ironies, stupidity, inept, rant, fark, fiddlely-foo

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Solid Phone, Half Assed After Sales Service

2007-06-12T15:21:00.001+08:00

I know this blog doesn't get the highest hits in terms of readership, but I feel angry enough to want to put this on and get it off my chest. Afterall, this is what blogging is about isn't it?

ANyways, I am an owner of a Dopod 838 Pro, and have been a happy user. I don't mind the occasional resets, as this is a Microsoft issue and not really Dopod's. I run my entire life off the Dopod, and naturally, it what that keeps me sane as I have all the pertinent info available with me.

Recently, I've had to send my 838 to the service center here in Singapore, outsourced to a company, SiS Technologies. The problem was that 2 of the keys of the keyboard occasionally got stuck and just went on like thissssssssssssssssssss. Anyways, as usual, they took the phone and batt and told me that it would be ready within 3 - 5 working days.

5 working days came and went and still no sign of the phone, even after repeated calls (I'll say something about the phone calls later). So after 7 working days, I got the phone back. The delay.. lack of parts in Singapore and they had to ship the part in from Taiwan (I guess).

But the phone came back with another problem it didn't have when it went in the first time: broken macro lens, which meant the feature that Dopod was advertising about business card capture.. all but hot air in the phone's current condition.

So I had my PA to call ahead to determine if they had the relevant parts in town, and the affirmative answer was returned. So I made the decision to put it into the the hospital again, and again 3 - 5 working days was relayed to my PA.

Again today is the 5th working day, and still no sign. Worst of all, my PA has been calling and they told her to collect on Saturday, which would mean 9 working days (2 weeks) to fix a simple problem.

So now I'm severely pissed as I've put my life and data on hold for more than a week. Email to the service feedback of Dopod has yielded nothing, I had to shout at the call center girl in Taiwan over my unhappiness and partially her ~~stupidity~~ inability to give me an email address belonging to a person whom I could officially register my unhappiness at.

Finally gave up and called SiS and insisted to stay on the line everytime they said they would call me back.. and now I'm getting my phone back tomorrow... working day No 6.

Why is it so hard to get good customer service? Why can't these people spare a thought to the consumers who have to put in their phones to be serviced? Its all about managing expectations.

As a consumer, I would more than understand if SiS had called to inform me that it was not a simple change of lens, but perhaps change of the entire module and that they had to bring the unit in from somewhere and the repair would be delayed. I understand Nokia does that, and it shows how important the customer is to the company.

I bet I would not face similar problems with the iPhone from Apple as Apple prides itself on the entire customer experience, and this is key. THat's why they are able to sell their product at higher cost and fatter margins.

If Dopod (now HTC) truly wants to be a competitor to the iPhone.. I'm sorry but they've got ways to go before even challenging the iPhone experience, and I'm not talking about technology or software, but the people experience, which no technology or software is able to replicate.

Let's talk about phone calls to SiS. Check the web; Google Dopod and Sis Technologies and you will find common complaints about being hung up on, about promises to call back that results in nothing, and a virtual black hole of information from the service center.

One posts told readers that the problem was not SiS but Dopod/HTC for the lack of parts inventory in Singapore and TW's refusal to ship more to Singapore. If that's the case, SiS has gotta decide if doing the business is more of a risk or reward.

And for Dopod, heed this: I may be one person, but an unhappy customer is the talkative customer and I will most probably have bought my last Dopod, not because it is a bad phone, but because I have been sullied by the after-sales service heaped upon me by Sis Technologies.... and rest assured, I will check to see who is providing the after sales service before I buy my next device and it will not be SiS.

Now if only HTC will run the entire chain from manufacturing to after sales service.

technorati tags:dopod, 838 pro, SiS Technologies, singapore, after-sales service, service, sucks, bad service, repair, htc, iphone, apple, apple computers

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The occasional blog entry

2007-06-08T11:32:00.001+08:00

I guess my honeymoon period at work is REALLY over as I am innundated with work.

Just as a short update, I am still alive and kicking. Altho not going out much anymore, and even less golf!

No sightings to speak about, although I did get a glimpse of the Sony models at the recent PC show, and then reading Sassyjan's entry on some of the nasty things that happened to the models.. I guess I can emphatize with the girls.

PC shows are really not THE best place to be walking around in skimpy clothes. Why?

1) There's never enough space to walk comfortably in the aisle. There is no such meaning as personal space.

2) Most PC buyers are males. And I'd assum straight males.

3) See 1 and 2 and then you have non-PC fans who are straight males will take use the opportunity as stated in 1 and 2 to take advantage of the models.

Having said that, let me digress onto another topic that is perhaps along the same lines.

There are these ladies that I have seen who dress to "kill", and one thought that comes to mind is "whoever's dating this gal is a damn lucky guy".

But seriously I wonder if for these gals, do their boyfriends or girlfriends (for the alternative lifestyle people) play the 19th hole everynight? I mean, if I was that guy (or gal) going out such these "man-killer looks" ladies dressed in exquisite lingeries and sexy dresses, my blog name would not be called My Golf Sucks, but rather I Golf Daily.... if you know what I mean.

Anyways, enough time spent on anal bantering.

technorati tags:sassyjan, pc show, suntec, models

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So many things to write... so little time

2007-05-29T11:14:00.001+08:00

Life has been quite a hectic mess, especially at work where I use some down time to blog... occasionally.

There's so many thing that run through my brain... from the anal to the interesting.

Perhaps one quick thought is the degeneration of nation building in Malaysia.

To be quite honest, I think the politicians and the masses are taking a step backwards from when TAR and his cabinet came up with the Rukun Negara. The crown prince of Perak hit it right on the nail. For nation-building to work, the religions must work together, the politicians must erase the difference between the races, and most of all, there must be equal opportunity for all.

I came to Singapore primarily because my missus did not want to be forced to work in a system where the color of the skin counts more than your capability. As for me, it didn't quite hit me at thaty time because I was a small kuci-fried ikan bilis, and plus I worked for an MNC.

And I think all the worms that's been swept under the carpet during CHE Det's time unfortunately is cropping up now in Pak Lah's time. For example the shoddy workmanship in Putrajaya and the Parliment building.

If there was ever a politician who has gone WAY past his "use-by" or expiry date, that culprit would be Ayoyo Samy. He, to me and to majority of Malaysians, is plain useless. Worst of all he never takes any responsibility for the work that his Ministry dishes out. Why not you ask?

And the type of remarks that gets said in Parliment? Don't even get me going that way, because plainly it is shameful of elected public servants utter sexist and demeaning words in the hallowed halls of the Parliment. And I do not take the silly lame excuse to pardon their actions, by saying it was uttered at the heat of the debate.

What shall we see next? The parliment degenerating into the Taiwanese parliment where fist fights occur?

And the opposition? None better, perhaps with the exception of DAP and PAS. Keadilan should rename itself to KeAnwaran because unfortunately, that's all that it is... a cult of personality. KeAdilan has so much promise because it is the true one party that trancends racial lines, but I cannot agree with what Anwar and his cronies have done along to the way to the party general elections. De Facto Chief? Sounds like Hugo Chavez. What the heck is De Facto Chief?

But at the end of it all, I still miss my home country. But will I live and work there and bring up my kids.. most likely not.

technorati tags:malaysia, nation-building, race relation, samy vellu, backward, Keadilan, Anwar Ibrahim

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Best Place to People Watch

2007-05-08T14:45:00.001+08:00

I discovered one of the best place to watch people.

Starbucks Raffles City Shopping Center.

Strategically it is a winner. Located right at the top of the escalators coming from the MRT station, most people would ride it up to head to the office towers, mall or the hotel or even the surrounding buildings.

And some of these ladies are dressed to kill. Just this morning I was there for a breakfast meeting with a client, and saw this lady dressed in tan-color tight pencil skirt. THe good thing was that she was not built like a pencil, but quite shapely. Plus she knew how to accentuate the curves to hide details (ie ugly VPL).

It was quite a sight to behold. And there were others as well.

Should make my coffee stop there a lot more often.

Plus I have a weakness for CDs, and That CD shop downstairs also has good looking people manning the shop. It's a toughie, but I think the folks at Tanglin Mall are better looking though. But music's good just the same.

technorati tags:starbucks, raffles city, raffles city shopping mall, city hall mrt, mrt, singapore, girls, VPL, beautiful

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TV Hottie: Jade Seah

2007-04-30T11:34:00.001+08:00

I've been catching the "On the DanceFloor" competition, and I can safely say 2 things:

1) There ARE good dancers in Singapore

2) Jade Seah is quite a hottie, I think even more so than the girl who beat her to the Miss Singapore crown.

Of last night's grand finale, it was not unexpected to see Vas and Pris win, as they've been very consistent. But I rue that Soul Fusion did not get more votes than they did. Plus kudos to Fanstastic Four for going all the way to the end though they lacked formal dance training.

But the babe who stole the show for me was Jade. She was dressed in an exquisite dress, though I must admit at some angles, did not show her in such a flattering light. A normal "ass" kinda guy, I was happy to see that the dress wrapped around her nicely in that region and noted no VPL.

What I would have given to be there up close and personal to check it out more.

OUT.

technorati tags:dance floor, jade seah, hottie, babe, VPL, yummy, vas and pris, fanstastic four, soul fusion, singapore

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No RM 20 charge for foreign cars

2007-04-27T16:32:00.001+08:00

YiPpEe

But wait, who paid for all the installation and the equipment at the Malaysian checkpoint?

Damn.. unbelievable! The speed at which the Malaysian government works... someone from IRIS or its subcontractor must have given a GOOD "discount" to the powers that be to install all those RFID readers in anticipation of the charges!

Now if only the Malaysian government can work that fast to repair the roads (ie, look at Seremban.. the roads sucks for over 10 years the roads there are still as bad)

Or agree on whether the crime is increasing or decreasing (the sentiment is that crime is increasing)

Or solve criminal court cases when the prepertrators are still alive (instead of being dead)

technorati tags:RM20, foreign cars, malaysia, government, corruption, crime

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Pilot's Pay

2007-04-27T16:23:00.001+08:00

This is the first time that I've seen how much a pilot gets payed to fly around the world.

All I can say is: DAANNGED!

I mean like.. how can you tag your pay to how many people fly on the plane?? And worst of all, they have the cheek to compare themselves to a Cardiologist.

I mean, let's make it clear. They accuse SIA of not comparing apple to apple when it comes to their pay, but is ALPA-S really comparing apple to apple when they compare their skills to that of a cardiologist?

Let's face the facts, boys (as there are NO female pilots in SIA). YOU ARE NOTHING LIKE A CARDIOLOGIST.

Let's calculate how many years of training does one need to do before becoming a cardiologist?

Cardiologist Pilot

A-Level A-Level

5-6 years of university Bachelor's degree optional

2 years slog at House Officer 1st officer of small plane (already flying)

2 years slog as Medical Officer Pilot of small plane (already flying)

2 years slog as Registrar or longer 1st officer of bigger plane (already flying)

1.5 years slot as Assoc Consultant Pilot of bigger plane

1 - 2 years of sub-specialty training Move to an even bigger plane

Get to use CT Scanner (as compared by Alpa-S) Move to bigger plane

I'm ashamed at ALPA-S in trying to convince the arbitration panel that their skills should be value like a cardiologist's skills that have to undergo x number os years of slogging before they can be a skilled cardiologist, who is able to use a CT scanner to treat patients.

Whereas, after the initial pilot school for the pilots, conversion from one aircraft type to another just takes a matter of months, I do not see the pilots training for years to move to a bigger sized aircraft.

To me, the crux of it is that the pilots see that the A380 is THE largest plane to ever fly the sky, and if they want a sizable pay increase, this is the LAST chance to justify it, as all the new generation of planes will fly with more automation than ever.

As it stands, the only time the pilot/co-pilot touches the stick on the plane is when they take-off or land, or in emergencies.

So I say to ALPA-S, do not try to pull wool over our eyes with whatever comparison you can think off, as you do not deserve to benefit from engineering feats and automation. Just suck in your gut and do your damm job! You already earn more than a typical doctor, or the engineer that designed the plane you fly on, what more do you want?

technorati tags:ALPA-S, pilot, pay, SIA, arbitration, A-380, B-777

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The Pay Disconnect

2007-04-14T23:29:00.001+08:00

Usually and most typically, there is nothing really to complain about the current Cheng Hu in Singapore, apart from the few obvious ones like lack of this and that freedom, and I think credit must be given where credit is due. Even without this and that freedom, Singapore has come along way from when they separated from Malaysia.

I mean one just has to compare with the cukoos in Malaysia (sadly one from my home state who shouted to the Opposition to get out of Malaysia if they do not acknowledge that Malaysia is an Islamic nation) to be really thankful of the government that we have.

But I think the latest debate pay rise has just shown how much the disconnect is between those sitting in Parliment and the Istana and the people on the street. And it also goes to show that Singaporeans do not roll over and play dead (even though the government in this instance would have really loved the bo-chap attitude from the masses)

If you have not figured out what the hoo-hah is all about, time to step out of the coconut shell.

In any case, I think the whole affair was handled badly by all those supposed to do PR for the government.

C'mon Vivian...how can the layperson understand that Workfare, your pay raise and the GST increase are all separate. You can't say that, even though it is the truth. Workfare was supposed to lighten the load on the poor who will be hit by the GST increase, but your government wants the poor to work its way out of being poor therefore no longer be requiring workfare assistance.

THe GST??? Well understandable, but do you know that some people in the streets think that it's to cover the paper loss that one government investment agency put into a certain THai company, who later caused a change of government in THailand?

And then suddently the 10% - 33% jump in your salary???

I have never experienced a 33% jump in salary, so perhaps I should nominate myself to have tea with LHL for the next GE.

And LHL, your reference in parliment on treating Singapore like Singapore Inc with a potential market cap of xxx trillion... well to be honest, if you were the CEO of the Singapore Inc, there would be a compensation committee that would have oversight over your and the other's pay packet. What the heck, you may get paid even more if you do a good job.

And today's ST echoed the right sentiment. The debate felt like ....a show, sandiwara as they call Parliment in Malaysia,and sadly, for the first time, it felt like just a show with lotsa smoke to push through the pay increment.

So goes the saying, the poor gets poorer, and the rich richer. The richest people in Singapore don't really care about how much ministers are getting paid, they're just interested in how to make the next million, and they're up on the list because of such inclinations.

Ministers and politicians, are put there to serve for the greater good of the people, mainly people who can't defend themselves with expensive lawyers, or ivy-league schools using pa-ma scholarship. But are these ministers defending their ward, when people in their ward can't afford to put food on the table, their kids to go to shool without being hungry? I don't think so.

THe more and more I think about it and how would I have resolved such an issue if I were LHL...the word referendum keeps coming back to me. If Singapore were Singapore Inc, there would be an EGM to vote on this, and this what they should do.

Or perhaps, a graduated increase,perhaps more of bonus pegged to a combination of economy, JINI index and unemployment. Why these 3 criteria? Firstly, economy is a no brainer..if the economy is buzzing along then everyone should get a piece of the pie. JINI Index? THis is to ensure that all segments of the population are benefitting from the growth in the economy. Keeping this as their KPI would ensure that more programs will be put in place not as welfare but to help the needy and the squeezed middle class. Unemployment? Another no brainer.

I mean I am no rocket scientist, and neither am I one of those who will be called to have tea with LHL or his old man (primarily because my passport is the wrong hue of red), but at least this I think is something constructive (which I thought the opposition would have come up with).

What do you think?

technorati tags:singapore, minister, pay, economy, unhappiness, referendum, singapore inc, debate, show, election

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WTF??

2007-04-12T15:41:00.001+08:00

WTF man.. just realized that I've been posting dumbass entries on this blog since July 2005.. damn, almost coming to 2 freakin years!

technorati tags:21 months

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A bit of Time on my Hands

2007-04-12T15:39:00.001+08:00

One of the blogs that I ~~read~~ lurk to is Scarlett's blog.

THis is one interesting lady. For one, she's quite attractive, and a single mom trying to juggle life as a single young lady (with all the baggage that comes with life being a single), a mom and a person in the workforce.

I saluted her once before for taking the plunge to take responsibility for her action (doing the deed without any protection) as termination is such a viable option here.

And I feel for her that she's or rather the father of the baby has cut ties with her... and indirectly the bub. I cannot understand how a person with any moral standing is able to do such thing like abandon his own flesh and blood. I know I cannot do so, even though there are times and situations when the best solution at the time is to leave it all behind.

But this is something that I know is not an option, as I miss my girls too much after a few hours at the golf course, or a long week away from home. Perhaps I am too much of a sop.

But, all things considered, it would be best for Ting and Minibean to be independent, as if the father of the bub is irresponsible enough to leave the family in such circumstance, surely he will NOT be there in trying times.

Which also brings me to something completely irrelevant. I often wonder how the younger generation can pour their entire life story into blogs? I know I can't, perhaps too lau already. Don't even get me going on Second Life. Have no clue how that works nor the time/interest to find out, but bottom line is that if a teacher has to assume an identity on Second Life to teach her kids (who BTW are also assuming an identity in SL), then the younger generation are not doing enough talking between "REAL PEOPLE"

Imagine when these young folks grow up, and one of them takes on the role of a marketer or whatever.

Young 'Un: Hello (type on SMS)

Client: Hello, what can I do for u

Young Un: I wan 2 .... (type on SMS)

Client: Can't you speak like a normal human.

Young Un: OK, look for me as Batman in Second Life. More comfortable talking details there. You log on tonight OK?

Client: Sure (body language: you can go fly kite)

And humans will take on a new evolution: they will no longer need 10 digits on their hands. Will only need 2, one to hold the phone and the other to tap on the keypad!

technorati tags:scarlett, parenthood, fatherhood, communication, old, young

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Updates... or lack of

2007-04-11T17:11:00.001+08:00

It's been a very long time since I last had the opportunity to update this blog.

Am I still alive and kicking? Well obviously I am writing this update, then it must be so.

Let me recall what has happened since my last update.

1) Definitely did not play golf

2) Went on another overseas trip trip for work and shortly thereafter for hols in a neighboring country.

3) No sightings to talk about, or rather not worth putting pen to paper on.

4) My horrible ex-boss may be getting a taste of her own medicine, in that someone more powerful will come into sit on her. Imagine in the 6 months that I have left, the horror stories kept coming up from the people left at her mercy. What is interesting is whether she will fight or go quietly. I hope there's a fight.. at least something to talk about over kopi.\

5) I have strangely been pulled towards more politically inclined blogs, especially those originating from Malaysia.

6) on a different topic, I had an ex-collague (whom you can say is quite a chio bu) sms me the other day asking if I were free on X-day after work. So I replied and then it emerged that X-day date was not for golf but dinner with her and another gal. Thereafter I was suspecting if she had gottent the right or wrong guy but eventually, she got the wrong guy. It was fun while it lasted... yeah cheap thrill.

But heck it's not everyday a middle-agey guy gets an sms for dinner from an attractive gal.

Anyways, will be busy with work for the next few ~~weeks months~~ years, so my updates will be sporadic unless something interesting pops up worth my time to blog it.

technorati tags:nothin, bored, no updates, golf

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I spy with my little eye

2007-03-16T15:47:00.001+08:00

Well it's been a while since I played this game.. so I thought it being a Friday and all, would be a good time to take a slight breather... and play.

3 sightings.

First sighting is on my way to the PC show last week, when I was walking behind a lady dresses from top to toe in white. What so interesting about this one? Well for one, her pants were somewhat transparent, and she kept mucking around with her shoes, resulting in her bending over.

And what was seen? I actually don't know. Her undies were unique to say the least. It reminded me of the jock-strap I used to wear when playing games. So essentially it was 2 elastic bands circling the thighs, and no fabric at all in the back.

It got me very curious, and have not found something similar on the web.

Second sighting was at a restaurant. There was this woman who was wearing a hipster jeans and a non-hipster g-string. As a result of her sitting down, the hipster was pulled down to her butt whereas her g was still where it was.

So she was showing a lot of information to the rest of the folks sitting nearby.

THird sighting was close to Clarke Quay when I saw this lady wearing one of those thin combed cotton tube dresses. Being a tube dress, it hugged the body including her bum and definitely either not wearing anything or a thong or string type g-strong as there were no VPL.

A plus was that she was also quite nice to look at. Her boy boy must be one lucky bloke.

Anyways, still kinda miss watching the ladies in my old office as I get a lot more eye action then compared to now.

OUT for the Friday.

technorati tags:g-string, thong, sightings, tube dress, VPL, hipster, eye candy

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