Happy Birthday !!

Happy Birthday to 2 wonderful friends. My life will never be the same without you guys. I love you both ... Ok, enough mushy stuff. Here goes

Tihtahpah spy

Types of self-defence items found in Malaysians' cars...
1) Rukun Tetangga ronda stick
2) Squash racquet (the old wooden type)
3) Tongkat
4) Gearlock
5) Wooden baseball bat
6) electric shock gun
7) Golf club
Wow...very imaginative, guys...

Spice in Language

Here's some of the 'spices' i have come across.....feast ur eyes...

1) GOONDU- although i was wondering if it should have been doongu

2) BASKET- I think i've been using this since i was probably 15....some ppl have modified it throughout the years of its existence to BASKETBALL..

3) FARKERS- more savvy than *$*&^-kers i suppose...

4) MCH- something i adopted when i was in university...i think i need not elaborate..well, my fren even made a song about this lovely 'spice'

5) DITCHAROO- for ditchers , also FFKers

6) NIASENG- anybody actually knows what chinese dialect is this?

7) FFK- Same as Ditcharoo..only that its easier to sms 'ffk' than the other-

8) TFK- go figure

9) SHIT!!!!!!!!- notice the exclamation marks..

10) Oi/Woi-good word to use when you can't remember the other person's name, besides it sounds much friendlier than HI, Hello..

11) ONS- probably started off in Singapore...where everyone talks in abbreviations..call me if you dont know what this means..

12) SMURF- okok..i admit..only I and certain ppl use this word..but i just needed this word to be here...maybe popularize it a bit..ahahhaa...can be used to describe a person as short or silly or weird or strange or stupid or goondu..very versatile

13) SIEN- Overused word in working life. Sien la today. Why so sien?

In truth, i doubt you can find a good, decent word to replace these words to best describe what you wanna convey or say. Kudos for whoever who created these!

P/S: Some common words are omitted because it's deemed to be too inappropriate

Urban Dictionary rocks!

How many of you have googled something, or even googled yourself? As most of you may already know this, the word 'google' has made its way to the dictionary. It took only 5 years after its first use in a New York Post article. According to statistics, it takes an average of 10-20 years of use before a word gets the dictionary status.

Lets wiki it and see what wikipedia have to say about google. Thats right, to 'wiki' something means to find something using wikipedia.org, the online encyclopedia. Kewl?

Have you also google earthed your home or school or workplace?

Or, would you like to Zidane that dude who just called you a brokeback?

Urban dictionary rocks !

What's the difference between a nerd, a geek and a dork?

Here, here and here are some pretty interesting findings. I guess only a geek would bother to find out what a geek is and how they measure with nerds and dorks ;)

Japanese Wannabes

This is a real Japanese. However, walking in Malaysian streets these days are Japanese wannabes. Just like any bad imitations, in their desperation to look Japanese, they looked pimped with tardy makeup, plenty of lip gloss, chunky accessories and bizarre clothes. It's either that or Taiwanese wannabes are beginning to sprout. Not only do they wanna dress like the Japanese but they try to instill a Kawaii culture in their daily doings. It's all too *$&(#*% cutesy for me.

My advice is ..JUST BE YOURSELF

Malaysian Women.....

Some of the Malaysian Women's Habits that I've noticed...

1) Whenever possible, they try not to drive...hitching rides from guys even if it's terribly not strategically economical....

2) late 20 somethings who act cutesy...ok, *slap in the idiot's face* GROW UP!

3) if you're gonna wear something sexy, make sure you can CARRY it off..if you're gonna be adjusting your bra, spaghetti strap, pull up your very-low-cut-top...might as well not wear it.

4) going to the loo in a group....seriously, when I need to go I would just GO,..and I really dont need 'escorts'...hahaha...but it's a girl thing I guess...nothing wrong with that...

5) wearing jammies to the pasar malam....no, this is totally not cool, very unbecoming, gross, how could you be sleeping in that after all the dust and germs stuck to the nightie...

6) some attached girls need to 'check' with their bfs before they can commit to an appointment.... it's good to be so close to your other half but to a point when HIS schedule becomes YOUR schedule, that's just pathetic.

7) women who don't eat when meeting for an outing...some girls show up for bfast/lunch/dinner and not eat...what's up with that?

Dodgy Drugs

My dad tried to get his prescription from his cardio doc because my dad can get drugs for free at the University Hospital since he was a government servant. Doc advised him saying that there is no guarantee that drugs from UH are GENUINE... aside from the fact that the doc wanna rip off my dad...quite shocking to hear that a doctor would say something like that to tarnish the entire medical system in Malaysia.

And just this morning I heard on the radio that the Health Dept is shocked to hear that the prescription drugs in Malaysia are MORE EXPENSIVE compared to drugs in developed countries....I wonder who's verifying the drugs' costs...who's benefiting..and why is our Health Dept not aware..

Hmmm....dodgy, don't u think?

When we are all but thankful..

Turning a year old never really meant much to me. It’s more often than not, just a much welcomed excuse for a get-together with close friends, whom amidst having to pitter-patter quickly in the rat race, had sometimes managed to forget to keep in touch or maybe just have not met each other as often as we had promised to, and yet it is your birthday that they take the pains to organize a time and place to meet-up, and sometimes throw in elements of surprise or in the form of booze? This is the exact reason, why the birthday person is more than grateful when their friends remember and try to give them a birthday celebration that will be as memorable and tantamount as a girl on her wedding day or a guy getting a pat on the back for a job well done from his father. Try as I might to think that it’s just another day, just another year old, just another blow off those candle(s), there are always people to remind me that having friends and family around you on this day is exactly the cause for happiness, for jubilation even, at the thought that people are really that nice and perhaps they think that you are nice enough for them to put in that effort to wish you a very happy birthday. I distinctively remember how sullen and really sad I had been one birthday when I was far away from home, not among my friends, instead I was working, in a city strange to me, and surrounded by what you would call the rough working class, of burly chefs and sharp-tongued men. Picked up my tiny spirit and blew it up like a hot air balloon, by downing just a wee bit of sake, a stolen drink really. And the day passed me by like a breeze, with a joy-brimmed smile plastered on my face. Towards the end of tired feet and aching backs, the boss had turned the “Closed” sign about an hour earlier than should, and gathered us all around. Imagine my surprise when a cake made out of sashimi delicates, spelling out the words Happy Birthday, XXX (the name I had gone by then), were put out right before me and the chef had broken out in a birthday song in Korean. Tempura, dragon and avocado rolls, and free flow beer were accompaniments of this wonderfully unexpected birthday treat. I even had my first cosmopolitan on this very day, compliments of the ever-‘green’ bartender.

This year around, I had another wonderful surprise. For this, it will be marked along with that one before as an eternally memorable birthday. Probably this is not what you would call a general post, suitable for a blog of our genre, but I hope to “inspire” (haha) sentiments of a ‘caring society’ (*eyes rolling*) and to remind us of the joys found in the simplest of gestures.

Car Giants...

BMW says....

Audi says...
Proton says...

Some guys are ...

... the predators. They hop from one girl to another. They could ask a girl out right after a break up. If they're single, their radar is always ON and actively detecting for potentials. Every girl they see is a prey. They're not afraid to show their interest in you and express their feelings openly - which is suppose to be a good thing. Well, provided that they don't do this to EVERY girl they see! They master in the art of sweet talking.

... the lurkers. They secretly admire and/or send gifts anonymously. But why? Perhaps they are shy? Afraid of rejection? But isn't not doing anything as bad as being rejected? My motto is: If you wanna be anonymous, you may as well stay anonymous for the rest of my life! :D

... the mysterious ones. They seem to show interest but they don't ask you out. What's the deal with that? They feed you with some love, then leave you craving for more. Are they too experienced and realistic to know that jumping into a relationship too fast is not a good thing? Are they still checking off their wish list? Perhaps they know you're going crazy with that and that's what they wanna do.

... the tihtahpah. These are usually quality men. They know what they want in their life. Their schedule is normally packed, no time for crap talk or crap business. They know exactly what kind of women they want. If they get to meet them, good. If not, it's not a show stopper. They indulge in enough activities/sports/hobbies to keep them occupied for the rest of their lives!


So ... which one are you?

Malaysian men.....

Hard to find Malaysian men who....

1) Opens the door for you...

2) Walks you to your car...

3) is always on time...

4) doesn't boast...

5) doesn't drool looking at pretty women...

Creative Business

Most Malaysian I think , sit around and try to churn out new business ideas...who doesn't wanna make a quick buck right? But it always boils down to NO capital..but good ideas nevertheless....

1) Concept Tours- NY has its Kramer tour, Sex & the City Tour, Malaysia can have its Eating Tour, Nightlife Tour, Penang-Eats-Only Tour, Beach Tour, History Tour, Jungle Tour basically...customers can customize their tours to their specific budget and specific locations they wanna cover

2) Men's Grooming Center - I think fashion would eventually catch up in Malaysia..women are already doing great but Malaysian men Makeovers might come in handy in future.

3) Drive-Thru Cinema- Ok..we don't have this and remember how well Starlight Cinema in Bukit Kiara did? People didn't mind sitting on the padang...This idea calls for a big piece of land though.

4) Drive-Thru Ramly Burger & Cendol/Ais Kacang Combo - You'll be surprised how Malaysians like these kinda things..a lot of KL people know about the infamous Ipoh drive-thru soyabean stall. Definitely beat the McDonald's drivethru. Honestly, most Malaysian prefer Ramly Burger, just that there's usually no seating area.

5) Coffee City- Basically a big Coffee hub - specializes in international array of coffee beans for coffee lovers- served with biscotti and chocolates. Only pay entrance fees. Customers can even brew their own coffee. It has to be as big as Nike City. The fad might fade, but then you can always switch to Tea City :)

Can think of any?

That's so Passe.....

It's passe....to

1) have your t-shirt collars upturned...rockstar mehhh

2) know only English......everyone's going global, need to be multi-lingual or Mandarin-speaking. People in Taiwan can speak English/Mandarin/Japanese with language schools at every corner of Taipei.

3) go for buffet......everyone's going 'organic' now and people are getting more health-conscious

4) use icq.....there's skype and msn

5) be a virgin..... pre-marital sex is necessary

6) watch TVB series.....hullo? Reality tv shows are invading the tv time

7) have a Bachelor degree.....most people get Master's degree/MBA. there are currently 56 MBAprogrammes in China alone.

8) only read newspapers....because of information sharing and globalisation, more & more people are sourcing elsewhere for faster, more ACCURATE news in websites, news media, blogs, magazines..etc

Malaysians bad habits

This is of no particular order...............
1) Spitting - generally men will unwind their car windows and spit...or spit when they're walking..or spit after smoking.
2) Talking on the phone in the cinema. I think the cinema ppl ought to remove these ppl from the cinema for other people's sake. I say, impose a fine!
3) Jaywalking. Just go to Old Klang Road...I swear, one day I might just 'accidentally' knock them down.
4) Talking loudly on the cellphone. Seriously..is this really necessary? Or does our telecommunication providers suck?
5) Salesgirl following u around. I just wonder if this happens in other countries...coz I dont have this problem when I travel to other countries.
6) Digging your nose when driving. OK...this is so disgusting and it applies to women and men.
7) Not Queueing up!...ok, some older people thinks it's their prerogative to cut queues...well, it's not..other younger people's time are just as precious as any older person's.
8) Farting in public. No..this is not cool. Even if there is only 1 person around...
9) Wearing t-shirts and shorts into the pool. Hygeine ranks very low in Malaysian people's priority. Stop bringing your germs into the public pool ok.
10) LATE for an appointment. It doesn't matter if it's a wedding, funeral, a meeting, whatever, ...i've had friends who'll be late for 2 freaking hours...
GOT ANY?

E-mail boo-boos or no?

Here are some examples of phrases that I often see in emails. Not sure whether they are correct to use. Any feedback would be great.

1. “Please advice”. Should it not be “Please advise”. The same goes with “I need your advise”, should it not be “I need your advice”.
2. “Please do the needful”. Sounds weird, though I think the sentence could be correct. But why can’t we just use “Please do what is necessary/required”. Simpler isn’t it?
3. “Enclosed herein is..” or “ Enclosed herewith is..”. I usually just have “Please find this enclosed”. Think that’s good enough?
4. “Please double confirm” and “Please double check”. Seems so mahfan.. why need to double everything?
5. “As per conversation with your goodself..” Seems very assuming, how do I know if you’re really good, saintly-halo-on-the-head good? I know it’s correct, but I find it awkward, pretending ppl are good.. come on. “As per conversation with yourself..” should suffice?
6. “What you reckon?” I thought it should be “What do you reckon?” No?
7. “..Should be able to shed some lights.” HAHA, I think this is obvious.
8. “Kindly revert to us”. Revert is to go back to a former condition, rite? Or to reverse something? Seems really strange though I admit it's widely used.

Of Kelings and Bengalis

Did you know that it's degrading to call someone Keling, but it's alright to use Keling Kia? And did you know that Bengali is a language and also refers to an ethnic group Bengalipeople?

Defying the Laws of Comedy

Best of Still Photojournalism 2004-for Magazine Portrait & Personality category. That's Jim Carrey :)

The Cheena-Man Attitude

1. They never read their emails and will tell you that the emails you sent are lost in cyberspace so as to avoid claiming responsibility for a required action or any other form of liabilities.

Counter attack: Request for a read-receipt. Or call them up and read the whole email aloud and remember to jot down the date and time. Make sure they understand what you say though. May have to repeat a few times to get message across.

2. Their commercial mantra is to ALWAYS ask for a DISCOUNT. Even 5% would be good. Sometimes they will call you and disguise their motive by asking you technically-duhh questions or they end up not really listening anyways. They will tell you that other competitors are giving lower pricing than you are and that others' deliveries are better.
Counter attack: Mark up the price/quote you are giving them. Perhaps 15% so you end up making at least 5-10%? :D

3. If you work with these people and it’s your first day, expect to perform menial tasks like making coffee, printing copies, filing, sending boss’ car for service, among other things. They’ll tell you it’s to help you familiarize yourself with the office surroundings but really, they just want to ‘hup’ you.
Counter attack: Feign stupidity or ignorance. Mention what you have been doing in your weekly meetings or a chanced how-are-you-getting-along question from your boss, casually and tactfully, of course.

4. Be prepared to have discussions in Cantonese/Mandarin/Hokkien. Have nothing against this except they’d have to watch out if there are colleagues who don’t speak the language.
Counter attack: learn the language, if you can. Can’t? Remind them that there are those who don’t understand the language. If your business-needs tend to sway towards the use of Chinese, fine. But if not, you can’t stop them as they are probably the majority. Suggest you find a non-cheena working environment.. hahha

5. They will promise you the moon and the stars when you ask them something but they can’t even make it to the appointment on-time.
Counter attack: Pretty obvious that whatever they promise needs to be in black and white. If they are late for the appointment, refuse to see them or walk out. Time is gold.

6. They expect their lowly-paid employees to work long hours, as long as it takes to get the work done although they have the means to hire an extra hand. They believe those who work the longest hours are the most hardworking employees.
Counter attack: If you have already done what you’re supposed to do, go home. If everyone does this, then they would know better than to exploit their employees.

*Extremities are taken as examples here.. no offence taken i hope.

The Singleton as a Friend

The Singleton is....

1.The Hidden Friend -As a female singleton, i brand myself as the Hidden Friend. So many a times, i'll be caught animated in a conversation with a fellow guy friend, when all of a sudden, he gets a phone call - and always its the girlfriend. So first question from the gf would be "Where and who u with?". I'm always

a) Just some customer laaaa

b) supplier...

c) just a friend...male..(irregardless that i am acquainted with the gf)

d) yumcha kaki onli

2. The Last Minute Friend -Again, the concept that singletons are always free, makes it easy for their friends to make last minute plans with the singletons. And there's never a worry if the other party needs to check if the gf/bf is free or not, whether the gf/bf minds if they go out, whether they have transport or not. Singletons are always mobile!!! Ever on the go.

3. The Organizer -Singletons are always appointed as organizers for bday parties, drinking sessions, dinner sessions, mamak sessions...just because people always assume singletons have more time or they dont need to consult/report to their spouses/bf/gf. People dont see that it actually gives the singletons the chance to plan the sessions AROUND their schedule.

4. The Aunt Agony- Singletons are always there to lend a shoulder to cry on, or to knock some sense in some really screwed up, bastardic, silly friends. Just ask yourself, how many attached friends would actually sit down with you, walk through ur problems with you, sit through a really long lonngggg mamak session..Comparatively, singletons have more TIME TO SPARE for their friends.

Aiyoh!!

Malaysia's most overused English words/phrases

1) Actually (Actually ar, she.....)

2) Already (I finish already..) usually pronounced to sound like 'oredi' or 'a-dy'

3) Don't want (I don't want it already)

4) No problem (No problem, don't worry)

5) ..and then? ( yar yar...and then? and then?)

6) ...brother... (Eh, brother! * with a slam on the fella's shoulder*)

Malaysia's most overused Malay words/phrases

1) Bos, kira! -widely used at the mamak

2) Amoi - word I hate the most- in reference to a Chinese girl

Malaysia's most common known Cantonese slangs (used even by the Malays and Indians)

1) Kautim - means completed

2) Ngam - means good rapport/relationship

Malaysia's most overused Tamil words

1) Aaa neh - in reference to a person older than you

2) Thamby - in reference to a person younger than you

Malaysia's most overused Hukkien slangs- think I can't post it here..mostly vulgar :)

And finally AHBUHTHEN: a manifestation of English + Hukkien usually used to mock people

kuai lo kopitiam treats ...

To be honest, I'm not a big fan of doughnuts. In fact, I hate doughnuts. I wouldn't touch any regular doughnuts BUT for some reason, I just LOVE Krispy Kreme. Why? I don't know, they're just different! How can I call myself a doughnut hater and yet succumb to Krispy Kreme?? I simply don't know !!!

The 4 phases of life ...

Canada's Kopitiam

Sometimes I really think that the cafes flourishing in KL are really not that good and way overpriced. On average, in some unknown cafe in KL with crummy decor and lousy brew is charging about RM8 for a cup of coffee. Over at TIMHORTONS, what I dub as Canada's Kopitiam, I can get a fantastic caffeine fix for CA$1.29. This average kopitiam is also conveniently located everywhere, it's clean, and..migosh...you really have to see the selection of muffins, donuts, timbits, croissants that they offer.

And I dunno about you, but I've always liked my coffee in a mug. They also have iced cappucino that downs well during the summer. It is really a very simple concept of kopitiam that people at all levels can go to.

And the muffins..well, they are phenomenal..I can have it everyday, my favourite being the Oatmeal Raisin :) Anyone can intro a good cafe in KL?

Best Coffee

Best coffee is no doubt Ipoh White Coffee. Starbucks can step aside. This coffee gives me the spell...the craving...and the best coffee experience. Get the authentic one at this kopitiam in Ipoh Old Town. Guaranteed satisfaction..

And it's served like this in Ipoh..with some spills on the saucer ..and foam on the top. Served with kaya toast...Truly Ipohian style.

Give me my Beano!

I don't know about you guys but I can distinctively remember growing up reading loads of Enid Blyton, The Famous Five, Nancy Drew, Secret Seven & The Hardy Boys-things deemed to be too corny now. But somehow, back then there was always some BEANO mags lying around, which is kinda strange considering that it's a Brit children's comic. I would read and reread the adventures of Dennis the Menace and his dog Gnasher(who goes *gnash gnash*, Minnie the Minx and the Bash Street Kids. I always thought it was better than Archie & Friends (it's too lame). ANyone remember the Dandy, it was the first one before? Well, just a jog down the memory lane.... visit BEANOTOWN

Napoleon Dynamite

I can't even begin to describe this 2004 movie, it's quirky, funny without trying at all, hilarious, a unique movie one of its kind. Jon Heder makes a convincing nerd called Napoleon,,,love his curly hair and awkward self.....right up to his incredible danceperformance....The other characters compliments him well, check out Pedro...I love it that it portrays real-life people..you know, those zombie-like people who are quiet, a little odd, with the can't-be-bothered look...I'm sure once you've seen this movie, you'll realize that yo someone like Napoleon, Kip, Uncle Rico, Summer, Pedro would have crossed your path. The movie takes you to an unpredictable journey in the life of Napoleon Dynamite...who's out to prove he's got nothing to prove!

PS: This movie won MTV Movie Awards best movie and Jon Heder (Napoleon) won Best Breakthrough Male....he was paid only USD1000 for this role

Watch Out...Double Parkers!!!

If there's one thing I hate about Malaysian drivers is that they double park...and they think it's alright to double park! Ask any KL drivers and any can relate to you a honking-like-mad-coz-a-car-double-parked-behind-my-car experience! The worst thing is that these double parkers when they get to their car, they give unpleasant remarks as if it is our fault that we're so impatient and angry over nothing.
Often the reasons for double parking are:
1) double parker went to 'tarpau' some food
2) double parker went to pay bills at the post office
3) double parker can't find parking so conveniently double park because he/she is in a rush
4) double parker is lazy to walk and because there is no nearest parking to the mamakstall/kopitiam, double parker rather just double park and be on a lookout in case need to remove car from double parking spot.
5) double parker went to buy 4-D, Toto, etc
6) double parker is too stingy to fork out few cents for parking since he/she wont be 'long'
I realize that double parking happens everywhere...even in Bangkok where double parking is a norm..people double park and leave their handbrakes down in Chatuchak and the shopping malls. AT least Bangkok ppl are considerate while Malaysians seems to think it is their RIGHT to double park.
Next double parker i see- expect some total damage on your vehicle.

Finally...Revamp on Education!

Revamp! article has really made my day. Ex corporate figures and civil servants would be reabsorbed into the education system. Having been in the Malaysia education cycle some years back, I really applaud this move. I've had 5 years in secondary school of many "DIY" or "Masa Sendiri" sessions where the teacher/relief teachers would be reading newspapers, cutting their nails, chatting with the "ampu" students while the rest of us are running amok in the classroom. Back in those days, we embraced happily this little 'arrangement' sometimes even collaborating with the teachers, we didnt know better...now when I look back, we've wasted so much time...
But really to make this work, someone's gotta look into the salary scale. See salaryreview . Really much rather have the 4.8bil allocated for upgrading credible teachers' salary than for upgrading police welfare. At least we've had SOME good teachers in the past. Anyone can name one credible policeman?

And let's not forget about some of the retired teachers already reabsorbed back into the system. Let's ensure the SELECTION CRITERIA for all levels (primary/secondary/university) are CLEAR to avoid any confusion amongst the teachers. Credentials are important so that the students can respect the teachers. Downfall on the Education system is that students like us, over the years, have lost respect and faith for the teachers.
Perhaps next time, we can have schools like SchoolofRock ?? Just kidding, although some variety of schools available would be most welcomed :)

Who's Protecting Who?

4.8bilforpolice? cites of RM4.8bil allocation to the Police force. First of all, what police workforce? DO you consider them as a genuine police force? Some people consider them as bullies and opportunists. And not so long ago, there was a big hoo-haa on the earsquat scandal..still fresh in many 'rakyat''s minds. I have lost faith, really. The RM4.8bil is supposedly to improve the quality and efficiency of the police workforce...so why is the fund used for improving police welfare on housing and logistics? What about eliminating the so called 'few' bad apples, see badapples... ?? Inspector-General of Police Tan Sri Bakri Omar states that the funds would be used to handle narcotic cases more efficiently by using new technology such as SMS. SMS???? You need 4.8bil for that? And, to improve the efficiency of the police force, all they could come up with is SMS? No other more substantial ideas? I can't imagine my neighbourhood policeman diligently sms-ing to report on a 'dadah' case... Didn't someone raise the question of who's gonna ensure that these bad apples don't strike? Who's gonna protect the rakyat from the so called 'crimebusters'? And..btw, wasn't RM365mil already allocated for the CCTV (yet another superfluous measure) cctv?? What gives?

Back Off!

coliseumcinema . First... take away the man's 2 pieces of land...then, impose the Land Acquisition Act to take away his family legacy...then give him 30 days to evacuate.....& THEN they have the cheek to say that they're willing to negotiate to lease it from him and saying 'it could be a good marriage' ? If there was no vast public outcry, would there have been this lease plan? Why didn't that come up in the first place before instructing an old man to leave in 30 days? Even if the reasons for acquiring the Coliseum was in fact noble and to preserve the culture- have the decency to layout a proposal and negotiate with Dr. Chua. That's how civilized people do things. Think before you Act.

Protect yourself. Read WhatisLandAcquisitionAct

My Weakness (5)

Since we're at it, I may as well recommend this, it's even in Wikipedia! It's multi-grain chips and it's suppose to be an 'excellent' source of whole grains. My favourite is the harvest cheddar when my system craves for ever so yummy MSG :)

Apple-chips, baked-chips, low fat chips, multi-grain chips - Aren't they all bs? I think chips are just as healthy as chips can be period.

My Weakness (4)

I have recently discovered that it's available at Sri Kota (near Tmn Desa)..used to get some from Singapore. It's really expensive though, about RM6.99 but it's APPLE CHIPS! ALMOST-HEALTHY SNACKING!

If Only ...

If only the world is free from war, poverty, disease epidemics, catastrophes, terrorism, corruption, homicides, robberies, scandals ...

And all you see in the headlines is this. Are we ever going to get to this day? ...

My Weakness (3)

NOTHING BEATS KETTLE CHIPS (honey DIJON)...

My weakness...(2)

These are my favourites. Can't go wrong with Miss Vickie's ...

What Gives?

Anyone seen ANY Sunsilk ad ? Sunsilk Tell me what's the logic....*eyes rolling*

So It Has Come to This.....

So, Mr. KJ is going to release a list of companies supporting the Israel regime Israelcomp. For what purpose if I may ask? So the 'rakyat' can make a choice of either to boycott these products /services or not. Following this, I'll have to do without my IBM pc, McDonald's, my weekly dose of Starbucks, my Nokia phone...wow..I'm gonna really have to re-invent my whole lifestyle. That's according to our Umno Youth leader...hmmm..i think not. What about this list? DinarStandard. What about the rest of the non-UMNO Youth followers? They're gonna have to abide and change their lifestyle based on this list? And here we are going towards Vision 2020, when everything's about globalisation and innovation....and we have to abide to these rules? Let's move forward.....not backwards.

My weakness...

Forget fancy-smancy chips or stylo-milo crisps.. give me this "kerepek ubi pedas" anytime..

Better than TVB series...........anytime (4)

Remember this one? ... I just remembered that Johnny Depp was in one of my childhood tv shows, I had to use google to help dig out the title of the show from my rusty little long term memory. 21 JUMPSTREET !! Remember that Nguyen guy too ? :)

Cocktails...(3)

Alabama Slammer......
Shake the whisky, gin, triple sec and Galliano with the cracked ice. Strain and pour. Top up with the orange juice. Garnish with the cherry and orange slice.













Making Your Own B-52
Just shake Grand marnier, Bailey's Irish Cream and Kahlua with ice....

does google really work?

How many times have you tried to google a 'how to ...' and 8 out of 10 results are some stupid ad pages that says '10 important tricks on how to ...' buy this best seller for only $9.99, shipping is free ! ...

SHUDDER..

Another heartbreaking news of yet another female raped and murdered in Malaysia. Read the news here. My heartfelt condolences to the families of these victims. We hope that the culprits will be caught somehow (amidst corruption and apathy that seems to distress the average 3rd world country) and the sooner the better. Let’s all be very AWARE of these incidents. We have received enough forwarded e-mails of recommended safety measures, alerts on dodgy cars or vans (some even with the car license numbers) and even pictures of the alleged criminals. Take them seriously if you have not and with a pinch of salt if you must for the exaggerated ones.

Here’s some Car Safety measures I picked off the net, may or may not be useful:-
1. Always keep windows rolled up and doors locked after entering or leaving your car.
2. Always have your car keys in your hand so you can get into your car immediately.
3. Always check the back seat before entering your car.
4. Never leave your keys in your car, even if you will only be gone a moment.
5. Never leave your purse in sight, hide it under your seat or in the glove compartment.
6. When parking, look for any suspicious persons loitering before leaving your car.
7. Always park in well-lighted areas.
8. If you’re being followed by another car, NEVER DRIVE HOME. Honk your horn in short bursts to attract attention and drive to a gas station, police or fire department.
9. Always keep your car in good running condition with at least half a tank of gas.
10. If your car breaks down, pull over to the right as far as possible, raise the hood, and wait inside for help. Do not get out of the car or unroll the window until the police arrive.
11. Do not pick up hitchhikers.

Though these are only recommendations but I should think they serve as somewhat good guidelines in which we can learn to safeguard ourselves. It’s true that sometimes it’s a matter of fate and luck, but surely it's up to us to minimize our risks. Stay Safe people..

Be Mindful of What You Say

Malaysiaunhappy? This article bugs me. The fact that what that one person says is quoted as what Malaysia says. Politicians/Ministers don't realize that what they say or do inevitably reflects on the "rakyat". The fact that i found this MalaysiaPoliticians in Youtube, it's kinda saddens me what the general people in the world must think of us Malaysians. Politicians slander one another using harsh and crude language, what kind of example are they setting for the younger ones. Imagine them watching that. It's kinda sad when I do know of actually decent, polite, intelligent and tactful people amongst the 'rakyat' who are more if not better mannered than these politicians. Please leave us out of this shame. We're better than that.

THE INTERVIEW...

PAKLAHTELLSALL The 'rakyat' tuned in to watch Bernama chairman, Datuk AZ interviewing our PM. We waited in anticipation as the agenda looked intriguing enough- PM breaking his silence. I was expecting a fulfilling and reassuring interview..but maybe I was expecting too much. The issues were addressed alright...without little affirmation. The interview seemed staged with the AL-Quran quotes, football metaphors.... For an interview to be successful, interviewer must always counter question the interviewee based on possible answers that he would have layed out before the interview, but No, Datuk AZ simply obliged and seemed contented with ALL the answers...nodded and moved on to the next questions obediently. I say, if you want to make a staged interview, do it right, don't patronize the 'rakyat'.
PS: can we please end the spat between our PM and the ex-PM? Seems rather childish now that it has dragged this long. And...an applause to our PM's 'no comment' on this issue. We dont want our leaders wasting time in front of the journalist making spats that has no beneficial effect to the 'rakyat'.
Just as expected..a sequel to this interview, check this Mahathir's reply...and so the plot thickens. Expect some "kacau-bilau"....

Better than TVB series...........anytime (3)

Here's Macgyver for you. ANYONE KNOWS WHAT"S THE NAME OF THE DOG??

Ipoh Bites

Being a true Ipoh-ian, I feel it is my duty to inform that the best Shredded Chicken Hor Fun in Ipoh is NOT at Onn Kee Restaurant or Lou Wong Restaurant....it is for a fact that the best one is in Cowan Street (only opens for lunch). Second choice would be the stall at the Kong Heng Kopitiam.

Sake??

Nope..I'm not a sake enthusiast...I only had it because it was free during my waitressing days in New Jersey. Once a month we would have sake-tasting sessions and wine-tasting sessions..i was in glee. Our 'teacher" would teach us how to describe the sake and at what temperature it should be served. Visit typesofsake for different classification of sake. After the session, where we were all half drunk, we were told that we get USD1 for every bottle of sake/wine we sell. That seemed a lot at that time :)


For the untrained sake drinkers, I always recommended this one : Meibo YowanaTsuki- Junmai Ginjyo sake. For one thing, the bottle looks nice and the sake is light with a mineral and fruity feel.
My bartender then..he gets a little creative sometimes and take a bit of this sake to make a Sake-Tini..garnished with cucumber.




It's kinda odd but in Jersey City where I worked, the gwailos are sticklers to their favourite food or drink. They'll come in week after week having the same stuff - irregardless what the specials were. And there was one particular customer, who told me he was in the Vietnam war(showed me his scars...cool) and he always had the Otokoyama. It was kinda dry and burns slightly.

I knew my "sake" days were over when I came back here. You can actually get sake at Jaya Jusco but I've sniffed for some info from the Japs living here that the selection is not so good- plus it's way overpriced. Think I'll just stick to regular beer.....!

Cocktails....(2)

Here's a different perspective of cocktails- using micrography (photography with microscope). It's an absolutely beautiful way of looking at TEQUILA SUNRISE....
Mix of 1 1/2 ounces of tequila, 3/4 ounce of Grenadine, and 4 ounces of orange juice and voila!

And a tribute to the Japs- this Cocktail micrography is the Kamikaze. (ingredients are: ounce of vodka, 1 ounce of Triple Sec, and 1 ounce of lime juice)........

You can't get more creative with Cocktails than this.... :)

Cocktail dig of the week......MOJITO!

The original Cuban Mojito is with light rum, whereelse the Drink of 2006 would be the new Mojito with Bacardi..... see this link mojito on how to make...*booze on*

255 CCTVs to Fight Crime???

It can't get more ridiculous than this. 255 CCTVs purchased for RM365mil to ITS Konsortium to be used by the police to fight crime. City Hall and ITS will together monitor and reduce the crime rate in Federal Territory. Although I do applaud the use of technology, but is it really necessary to purchase another 255 CCTVs when about 14 are already installed at the Golden Triangle, I wonder where these 255 units are going to be placed? It is supposingly to be used also to monitor traffic offenses. Are we forgetting that traffic offenses comes in package with the infamous "duit kopi"? So, can it be used to reduce "duit kopi" too? Or is the CCTVs going to manned biasly? Who's gonna make sure it's not going to be abused? This is, I feel another sorry excuse for certain groups to gain revenue from this, for the people supposed to protect us to sit their lazy ass monitoring the CCTVs, or to hire more useless people to man this system. The higher crime rate in Malaysia is not only because of high invasion of immigrants, but I feel its because the 'rakyat' lacks respect for the police workforce, have heard of the notorious police workforce and thus the 'rakyat' has altogether lost confidence in them....Now that's what the govt should tackle...The real root cause of high crime rate, not by going behind the cameras.....

Check this link : cctv

is it true?

Men who are still single in their 30s .... are losers
Women who are still single in their 30s ... they couldn't find a man who could keep up

Look around you ... is it true?

Better than TVB series...........anytime (2)

Just too tempted to add a sequel to this post ... just too many more to add ...

How could we miss out the following:
- LOST ... the best series that I've seen so far. To fully enjoy it, you'll have to start from season 1, eps 1. People who didn't like it, listen - you have not been watching all the eps !!! Mind you, this is not some ridiculous TVB/Korean crap that you can follow even after skipping 10 eps.

- CSI ... ok, might have been overrated but hey, they didn't get to be the most popular show in the world for no reason

- Nip Tuck ... hhmm, ever wondered why there's an MJ look-alike dude in this plastic surgery themed series? ;)

- House MD ... another doctor's show. I'd say there is enough intelligent substance in there to keep you interested

- Travel Spies ... It's hillarious how they managed to convince the manager to let them perform a ritual in this hotel's lobby, in one of the eps.

- good ol' Ripley's ... always enjoyed it.

- the fillers ... Friends, Dharma&Greg, Will&Grace

Of course not forgetting those that we grew up with:

- X files ... you know you're a geek when ...

- 90210 ... yeah, i know ... gosh, what was I thinking !

- MacGyver, The Misfits (or something like that) ... now i'm embarrased and I shall stop here.

Better than TVB series...........anytime

I fear the Hongkong movie and tv industry has failed me over and over again for years, resulting in me not watching any TVB series for the longest time. I can vaguely pinpoint which HK movie is notable enough to be mentioned....perhaps maybe only Stephen Chow's Kungfu Hustle. With a wave of reality shows aired daily..there is really no reason to watch HK-based movies/series anymore. Just a while ago, a friend of mine just newly discovered 24, and he said it made him realize how crappy TVB series are. I mean..the actors and actresses are shuffled in many series, so u may see the same actors/actresses in a few NEW series. And comparatively, TVB series are produced on a low budget basis, which means cheap props (or no props), same repeated locations in HK (up to a point you can even see the same mansion being used over and over again for different series), bad costume/fashion styling and lousy dialogues due to cheap scripts. In view that I am Chinese, I should really be supporting the HK movie industry, but heck, I'm no saint. For I've found many interesting, intriguing series to keep me occupied the whole week...and every week.....Checkout this list
1) Rockstar Supernova (think readers are beginning to see I'm addicted to this) -2nd season
2) Grey's Anatomy
3) National Geographic - No Borders
4) Fine Living Channel- Made to Order
5) Queer Eye for the Straight Guy
6) 24- season 5 available now!
7) Project Runway - Malaysia still stuck at Season 2 (I know Chloe Dao won!yay)
8) America's Next Top Supermodel - (no..its not the Sports Illustrated one)
9) Oliver's Twist
10) Globe Trekker- has to be Ian Wright's...too funny
11) Travel Channel-Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations
12) Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives...well those kind..

And if those aren't available..there's always those tv sitcoms...give me Seinfeld anytime.

PS: For food enthusiasts, pls visit madetoorder to see what's Made to Order is all about....

Rockstar Supernova-Continued...

Week5 - one of the best performance by Storm Large, doing Changes-David Bowie.

Southern KL Waste Transfer Station ($KLT$)

Anyone who lives in the vicinity of these areas; Bukit Jalil, Bandar Puchong, Bandar Kinrara, OUG, have much cause to worry. If you don’t already know, there have been plans to build a “Solid Waste Transfer Centre” right where so many thousands of people have built their homes. That’s right. You have not read this wrong. The residents who live near this Waste Station, will have to live with the stench and breathe in the polluted air (carcinogen from the fumes?), have garbage trucks drive past their homes and as if the traffic is not bad enough already! What I don’t understand is why the “powers to be” decided to place this station right at the heart of a densely populated RESIDENTIAL area. Common sense will tell any “thinking” person that there will be a magnitude of possible problems; health being a glaringly obvious one. So, why? Is it because the persons who make these decisions are not staying in these areas themselves or perhaps they have no relations living anywhere near? Typical, isn’t it? Maybe they have been misguided into thinking that there is nothing critically worrying as technology will ensure that the stench is kept at bay, transportation will improve..blah blah blah.. But we know that a third world country such as ours can sometimes fail in ENSURING and MAINTAINING quality of the very technology we have paid millions for, rite? If I had to be crude, I’d say they are just plain stupid and will most likely have to face the wrath of these residents and not to mention the silent curses (those who are less crude) on them and on their future generations to come. Hmmph! Let’s be honest here. Everyone knows these areas are in fact a particularly-not-preferred-race-dominant area. I don’t mean to incite any politically sensitive issues here but if such things are done, such thoughts will come to an everyday citizen like myself. Frankly, I am appalled but also somewhat numbed. It’s no longer that SHOCKING. Anything can happen in Boleh-land.

Anyhow, for those who are curious and may even have interest to sign the online petition, please do visit this website: http://www.no-sampah.com. There has been recent verbal announcements of scrapping this abominable project, but you never know in Boleh-land. Thanks.

Google Earth

Am I the only one who doesn't know about Google Earth..well, apparently it has been around since 2004 but was previously known as Earth Viewer. For the geographically challenged like myself, I love Google Earth....especially when you're reading the news...I remember asking my colleagues where was East Timor (there were riots at that time), nobody knew or cared actually...well, now I dont need to ask anymore..just Google the street name/place/city/country/ and Google Earth takes you to a journey!

Love is.....

second date

if you don't kiss the girl on a first date, you're a gentleman ....
if you don't kiss the girl on the second date, you're gay ....

Keane-My latest music dig

Courtesy from my friend Sam, ever resourceful, this is a wonderful band! They are an English Piano Rock band from England...one of a kind i think...no guitar shit at all. And the leadsinger's (Tom Chaplin) calming voice compliments well with the piano. One of those bands that you just don't get tired listening to. They were more famously known for "Somewhere Only We Know" and "This is the Last Time", but checkout their other songs, "We Might As Well be Strangers"....the pianoworks are incredible and "Can't Stop Know" and "Bend and Break". It's really refreshing and wonderful how they've infused piano with indie rock......I believe there's more to be expected from this band....Stay Tuned!

Recommended album: start with Hopes and Fears album....

it's a small small world..

Six degrees of separation is the hypothesis that anyone on Earth can be connected to any other person on the planet through a chain of acquaintances with no more than five intermediaries. -courtesy of Wikipedia.

good grief.. and I thought my social circle was small.. small enough at least.. damn

Sometimes in April....

A good movie to start off with before watching Hotel Rwanda. Hotel Rwanda is of a much bigger scale but the impact from Sometimes in April is just as powerful. The name implies the Rwandan Genocide that took place in April 1994, where an estimated 1 million people were killed in 100 days. The movie implores the failure of humanity and the despair of the Tutsis when they were killed in masses by the Hutus. The movie also shows of how the UN reacted to the situation, wherehumanity was put aside merely because Rwanda has no whatsoever political benefits. One cannot help but think what if this happened in Malaysia, what if it happened to the Chinese Malaysian, afterall it's always something trivial that is used as an excuse to trigger something like that. Look at World War 1, that started because of the assassination of the heir to the Austrian throne in Sarajevo.
I must say this movie is not a comfortable watch...but it does makes you stop and ponder...what to do if the same thing happened in Malaysia? Time to start on a contingency plan for no one knows for sure what tomorrow brings.

oily chinese

Why do people associate 'chinese' with 'oily' ? ... Be it human face oily or chinese food oily? :)