Wednesday, December 31, 2008

Trends & Predictions For 2009

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Happy New Year, guys and girls.

Wanna know whats in store for the year ahead ? I've compiled some good links with some trends and predictions for 2009

Whats Hot For 2009

The World In 2009

Best Gatgets To Come In 2009

Feng Shui Tips For The Year Of The Ox

2009 Web Predictions

BBC's Robin Lustig Predictions For 2009

Hot Trends In 2009 Forecast


2009 Trend Reports

2009 Media Predictions - Part 1, Part 2

English Premier League Predictions 2009

Please post your comments.

Sunday, December 21, 2008

Cyber Casanovas Target Malaysian Women

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News reported in The Star

JOHOR BARU: They choose their victims via Internet social networking sites and pretend to be cyber casanovas who start showering their victims with virtual gifts such as flowers, jewellery, plants, pets and even cars.

The cassanovas, I suspect, are using Facebook.

They then exchange photographs and virtual love letters for some time before the casanovas, usually claiming to be rich hunks from Britain and the Middle East, tell their victims they want to get them a real gift as a way of expressing their commitment.

In this day and age, it is disheartening to note that Malaysian women still fall for this "rich hunk" ploy. They truly believe that rich hunks have noting better to do, and have no other access to meeting women, other than meeting Malaysian women through online social media sites like Facebook.

They promise to send cash of between £1,000 (RM5,200) and £2mil (RM10.4mil) for the women to go on a shopping spree.

Rich hunks with that kind of money to waste, spend their time "dating" women on Facebook, instead of hanging out in Monte Carlo or Nice, right ? I can only imagine how the conversation with this women went - I would really like to know.

The only catch is that the women would have to bank in a substantial amount of money, supposedly into the account of a local forwarding company, as processing fee for the parcel containing the cash to be sent to Malaysia.

This is obviously a variation to the typical "cash in advance" Nigerian scam.

The forwarding company may even ask for a few payments, citing all sorts of difficulties in getting the package through.

When the woman begins to feel suspicious and questions her “boyfriend,” the e-mail stops.

Police say many women around the country, some holding respectable jobs like doctors and managers, have been victims of such scams. Thousands of ringgit is believed to have been lost.

Just because they are doctors and managers do not mean they are geniuses. I noticed that those with tertiary education are more easily duped compared to the average joes. Further, these women are the most lonely.

One example is a case in Johor where a human resource manager in her 30s lost more than RM30,000.

She befriended a person, claiming to be from Britain, via a social networking site about a month ago.

They exchanged messages regularly and the man told her he wanted to send her £50,000 (RM261,000) for her to go on a shopping spree.

Yeah, right ! How dumb and desperate can someone be to spend RM30,000 on someone she hasn't even met in person.

She met him on Facebook, communicates with him for one month and she's either head over heels in love with this cyber lover or desperate to receive the £50,000 "gift".

The next day, the woman got a call from a person, claiming to be from a forwarding company, saying she needed to bank in RM4,000 for the parcel to be delivered.

They continued to ask her for money – totalling RM30,000 – over a few days, giving various excuses including exchange rate and other expenses.

The woman suspected something amiss and when she questioned her boyfriend, he did not reply her e-mail.

She only suspected that she's been duped after the con man decided to flee ? Unbelievable.

She then lodged a police report.

Bukit Aman commercial crime investigations director Comm Datuk Koh Hong Sun confirmed there were many cases of cheating not just via the Internet but also through SMSes.

He advised people, especially women, to be careful when asked to transfer money to those they meet online.

“We are checking to see whether local syndicates are working with overseas ones,” he said.

Please post your comments.

Monday, December 15, 2008

Datuk "George Soros" Bunian - Secrets Revealed.

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A local Malay tabloid has recently revealed that a Datuk who claims to have married a Bunian princess by the name of Tengku Puteri Jasnita has set up a ponzi scheme "mystical trust fund" which he calls the Alam Bunian Puteri Jasnita. According to the Datuk, this trust fund will give millions of Ringgit in returns to its investors - and it is guaranteed by the Bunian National Bank. As the tabloid did not disclose if this trust fund complies with Islamic banking principles, we don't know if proceeds of this trust fund is halal or not. Further, there is no mention if this investment scheme has been approved by the Securities Commission and other relevant authorities. Well, who cares, right ? As the ring leader fund manager is a Datuk with links to royalty, so surely he knows a thing or two about making money.

I can hear some of you already thinking - Bunian, WTF !!??

Okey, for the benefit of you Starbucks coffee gulping folks who don't know what is a Bunian, I'll just tell you and save you some time from Googling for the answer. A Bunian is a mystical being in Malay folklore similar to an elf. Yes, they're like those creatures in the Lord of the Rings.

Anyway, it is believed that although the Bunian usually inhabit the forests, some are known to live near the Kampungs. According to folklore, the Bunian exist in large communities, similar to human social structures, with families and clans.

In remote Malay villages and Orang Asli settlements, it is not unusual to hear reports of human beings interacting socially and even commercially with the Bunian folk. Because of this, claims of "mix marriages" between the communities are also rather common. There are rumours that the Bunian are planning to form their own political party, in the hope that one day a Bunian leader will emerge to become the Prime Minister of Malaysia. Well, this is only a rumour, please don't believe in rumours. Believe instead in the Bunian.

Back to the Datuk and his exploits entrepreneurial adventure. Whilst we do not know whether this Datuk has had any academic qualifications or work experience in financial markets, his marriage to the Bunian princess appears sufficient to have endowed him with special understanding pertaining to matters of investment and finance. Despite this, some people are comparing him to international financial wizards, like George Soros and Warren Buffet. His followers are already referring to him as Datuk "George Soros" Bunian.

However, there is a fundamental difference between the two men. While fans of George Soros read the Wall Street Journal for financial wisdom, investors of the Datuk are told to read the Chow Kit Journal also called the Kitab Bunian (Bunian bible). The Kitab Bunian is an important read to the Datuk's investors because it is said to reveal the teachings of the Bunian princess - the Datuk's wife.

Whatever the case, the Kitab Bunian surprisingly mentions nothing about finance. According to an ex-investor, the Bunian bible teaches, among other things, sexual freedom. Yes, you read it right - investors are encouraged to have f*ck buddies amongst themselves. The reason for this is presumably so the investors can better exchange investment strategies with each other, while in the pretzel position, in bed. For these newbie investors, the best has yet to come - the Datuk "George Soros" Bunian will teach them all how to really get screwed, soon enough.

If having f*ck buddies isn't fun enough, all the investors are told to stain three fingers of their right hand with henna to purportedly protect and guarantee success of their investments. These "henna fingers" sex maniacs are assured that they can then dip their fingers into many "pies" without attracting any bad luck. This petua (folk remedy) is so powerful that some even believe that just by showing the middle (henna stained) finger to their enemies will cause their enemies to experience serious financial trouble. I know that successful gardeners are called green fingers, but this is the first time I learn that successful investors are called 'henna fingers".

To help them better manage their time to focus on investment related activities, such as spending time with their fu*k buddies, these investors are exempt from saying daily prayers to any god or attend any place of worship, as they they are told that they themselves are gods and can do as they please.

A well known Nigerian currency syndicate foreign exchange investment house, based in Kuala Lumpur, predicted that due to the "conducive social demographics" in Malaysia, the Datuk's mystical investment fund should be able attract a large number of "apprentice" investors who will be trained to appreciate the value of money and be introduced to "real world" financial strategies used by the Nigerian masters.

The well dressed front man regional marketing director of the Nigerian investment house, who wanted to remain anonymous, admits that over the years his organisation has made extraordinary profits from similar financial schemes investment trust funds promoted in Malaysia. He further said that as Malaysians are generally simpletons friendly and are easy to manipulate educate, the country will continue to attract expatriates like himself who are more than willing to share their expertise in Malaysia.

Despite all the fun seemingly experienced by the Datuk and his investors, I cannot recommend anyone to invest in this trust fund because his business focus is uncertain - the Datuk can't decide whether he wants to be a George Soros or a Hugh Hefner. Maybe he wants to be both. What a terrible dilemma he has.

If you find this story unbelievable, you should proceed to read about the Powerful Bomoh In Pahang For Power And Wealth.

Please post your comments.

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Life Of A Chicken Thief

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A 29 year-old contract worker was sentenced to 3 months jail by the Magistrate's Court for stealing a chicken from a coop in Hala Perindustrian Menglembu 13, Ipoh.

The thief , who was caught red handed 2 months ago, was given the 3 month sentence after pleading to the court for a lighter sentence as he was poor and had to support his wife and 2 young children. He said he only earned RM25 a day.

There is a high probability that this guy stole the chicken because he was very desperate at that time. Why else would he care to steal a RM5 chicken ? If he was a greedy bast*rd, he would have become a snatch thief and profit more.

In this country, if you steal a chicken worth RM5, you get 3 months jail. However, there are rumours that if you stole millions of dollars, you might get off scott free.

Please post your comments.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

How To Be A Better Fan By Being A Better Man

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Football fans, this is how to be "a better fan, by being a better man" (those who watch football on Astro would've heard this).

First, you must be a man. And men, drink beer. If you like drinking Vodka and Coke, anything else mixed with Coke, or worse...you like drinking Ribena, then you should visit here.

Okay, since I've gotten rid of the potential puss*es, let me continue with how to be a better man. Real men watch football - with beer (preferably with friends and opposing fans in the land). So don't forget; a beer in your hand, makes you a man. A bird in your hand, makes you a wanker.

This is a typical scenario of men, beer and football:

1. When your team scores a goal, celebrate by cheering as loud as possible!
Cantonese, Hokkien and Tamil varieties are also acceptable

2. Annoy your opponents by shouting insults at them - show them who's the boss !

3. While the goal sequence is replayed, bottoms up upon chanting the name of your team

4. Crack the beer can

5. Chuck the can into the (preferably metal) bin making as much noise possible

6. Repeat step 1-5 again each time your team scores

7. When the opposing team scores - shout insults, make excuses and drink more beer


Warning: The above behavior could get you into trouble either by being thrown out, beaten up, or worse....killed. This blog disclaims any responsibility for such antics, but you can always blame Beer Beer which inspired this post. So folks, if you want to learn more about drinking beer and being a man, visit Beer Beer - cause' once you're drunk, there's nothing to fear !

Please post your comment.

"Islamic Banking" Ah Longs

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A local Malay tabloid reported that an Ah Long syndicate (Loan Shark) in Johor Bahru is misusing Islam in its advertising to misrepresent to the public, particularly Muslims, that its business is halal and trustworthy.

The Ah Long's advertisement apparently says that their money lending business is "Islamic Banking" compliant (based on the Bai’ al Wafa dan Al-Ijarah concept) - interest free loan.

To the general public, these Ah Longs appear to be adapting to the times by offering "Islamic financing". Unfortunately, these Ah Longs are not financial wizards. They are not introducing anything innovative to loan sharking; they are simply misrepresenting their business to the public, which tantamount to cheating (in addition to engaging in an illegal activity).

According to the tabloid, the Ah Long syndicate advertises its business by way of fliers distributed to houses in housing estates in hope of attracting new business particularly from unwary Muslims.

Please post your comments.

Saturday, December 6, 2008

10 Cool Things You Can Do With Gmail

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I was told that most Malaysians have already migrated from the "old school" Hotmail or Yahoo Mail to having Gmail accounts.

Having said this, not many have exploited the many features that Gmail has over its competitors. Yes, you can do more with Gmail apart from just sending and receiving emails.

These are the cool things you can do:

1. use the Gmail Labs experimental features
Gmail Labs has a long list of tools to increase efficiency. You can set up canned responses for standard replies, stop yourself from forgetting attachments, get your Google Calendar agenda and Remember the Milk tasks, get at all your various attachment types with Quick Links, and much more.

2. search power
If you have stored loads of emails and need to retrieve a specific emails. You can search for specific emails using keyword search (with filters).

3. keep your Gmail account on your desktop
With the latest Google Desktop Gadget, all the basic actions of email—read, star, label, delete, respond can fit into a corner of your desktop for easy accessibility.

4. organise and tag emails and bookmark links
You can create lists of emails you need to get back to, bookmark an important thread in your browser favorites, and save them for any other purpose or list.

5. consolidate all your email accounts
You can consolidate multiple email addresses into Gmail by importing emails from any POP or IMAP (web based) accounts. You can also send emails from your old email address, eliminating the need for your contacts to be updated with your new email address.

6. serve as a central, synchronized, smarter contact list
Previously Gmail puts everyone you sent 5 emails to into your contacts, but now, those oft-mailed but not well-known people are sent the "Suggested" contacts list until you confirm them as contacts. You can also synchronize Gmail with your Mac, iPhone, Blackberry and Thunderbird.

7. remotely sign out
If you forgot to "Sign Out" from where you've previously acessed Gmail, you can always "Sign Out" anytime and anywhere. At the very bottom of any Gmail inbox there is a text line showing where else the account is open, along with a list of sign-in times and IP addresses and a button for you to "Sign Out".

8. back up your email from any system
You can backup all your emails on your desktop with Gmail Backup. To back up another email account using Gmail's large storage space, you can always BCC: all your outgoing messages to your Gmail account to make sure you've always got an online searchable copy of your emails.

9. launch video and audio chats
You can do video conferencing with Gmail.

10. personalise Gmail's look to your selected theme
You can personalise Gmail's look to your selected theme through the Settings tab.

For more information on this, read the Top 10 Things You Forgot Gmail Can Do.

Please post your comments.

Do The Rich Have The Right Genes ? Science Says Yes.

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There are new finding that say you are rich or poor because of your genes. Read this article from Now Public taken from the BBC.

Scott Fitzgerald famously said in The Great Gatsby that "the rich are different from the rest of us" and now neurological scientists at the University of California (UCLA) have found that children from low socio-economic backgrounds had lower frontal cortex electrical activity in the brain than their wealthier counterparts.

The neo-cortex frontal lobes have long been associated with cognitive thinking because of its prominence in humans and almost non-existence in the lower animals

The issue of Nature~vs~ Nurture has always been a controversial issue in academic Psychology and it remains to be seen whether the difference is to do with environmental factors, such as quality of nutrition, prenatal care and levels of intellectual stimulation in the home, or whether the cause is genetic.

Let the debate continue!

Normal nine and 10-year-olds from rich and poor backgrounds had differing electrical activity in a part of the brain linked to problem solving.

The Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience study was described as a "wake-up call" about the impact of deprivation.

A UK researcher said it could shed light on early brain development.

The 26 children in the study, conducted at the University of California, Berkeley, were measured using an electroencephalograph (EEG), which measured activity in the "prefrontal cortex" of the brain.

Half were from low income homes, and half from high income families.

During the test, an image the children had not been briefed to expect was flashed onto a screen, and their brain responses were measured.

Those from lower income families showed a lower prefrontal cortex response to it than those from wealthier households.

We are certainly not blaming lower socioeconomic families for not talking to their kids - there are probably a zillion reasons why that happens
Prof Thomas Boyce
University of California Berkeley

Dr Mark Kishiyama, one of the researchers, said: "The low socioeconomic kids were not detecting or processing the visual stimuli as well - they were not getting that extra boost from the prefrontal cortex."

Since the children were, in health terms, normal in every way, the researchers suspected that "stressful environments" created by low socioeconomic status might be to blame.

Previous studies have suggested that children in low-income families are spoken to far less - on average hearing 30 million fewer words by the age of four.

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

I disagree with this report albeit it being based on "science". If fact, its findings goes contrary to conventional evidence. You don't have to be a scientist to know that there is no correlation between being rich and being intelligent enough to create wealth.

We know that there are a lot of rich kids who are not particularly intelligent, neither are there many poor kids who are stupid. I think the rich become richer because of opportunities presented to them by society and the poor become poorer because of the opposite reason. It has nothing much to do with intelligence.

Lets do a simple yet self evident test to show that the above report is wrong (probably based on flawed data).

If you were to study the list super rich in the Forbes list, you'd observe 2 kinds of rich people - those who became rich through their own efforts and those who inherited their wealth.

Those who inherited their wealth have to be excluded from our test, as inheriting wealth does not show that someone is more intelligent than others; it is just a fortunate random order of birth.

Therefore, for more accurate results, we must only study those who became rich through their own efforts. In analysing these people, you'll easily see that more often than not they do not come from rich families, in fact, a large number of them come from very humble backgrounds.

Further, it is ironic that the above article starts with a quote from The Great Gatsby. In the novel, the hero Gatsby did not inherit his wealth neither was he from a rich family. He was a self made man.

What do you think ? Please post your comments.

BMW Heiress Blackmailed By Gigolo

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BMW heiress Susanne Klatten, 46, Germany's richest woman, was allegedly blackmailed by a 43-year-old Swiss gigolo, Helg Sgarbi.

Helg Sgarbi is now being charged in court.

Susanne Klatten, a major shareholder in German luxury carmaker BMW is a married mother of 3 teenagers. Klatten met Sgarbi in 1997 at the famous spa retreat Lanserhof, a playground for the rich and famous in Tirol, Austria.

Klatten didn't suspect that Ernano Barretta, 63, (Sgarbi's Italian accomplice) was secretly filming their meetings from a hotel room next door and planning to use this to blackmail her.

Read the full story here.

This kind of scandal happens everywhere but usually goes unreported.

Please post your comment.

Why Are Some People Different Online?

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Why Are Some People Different Online ? I stumbled on this question on Yahoo Answers. And the answers by people are:

  • People online can be almost anything they want to be, because they are"hidden" by the internet. Offline, when people see each other, they form opinions on people as soon as they see them, and it's hard to think of something different when we are brought up with stereo types.

  • Because you can't read body language over the internet.

  • Online no one knows who you are. You can be anyone.

  • A chance to be something their not ,maybe they act and talk like a person they wish they would be. They might change how they think about stuff and the way they speak , to keep ur interest up . But in the end the truth always come out in the end.

  • It's because they're anonymous and unseen. In real life, you have to walk the walk, instead of just talk the talk.
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I've met people that I've spoken to online and have always been surprised that underneath their tendencies to be over the top and outrageous online, they were actually genuine people who are a bit shy in person.

Please post your comments on this.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Online Brothel For Internet Savvy Cheongsters

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The Malay Mail has recently exposed a website promoting prostitution in Puchong and Subang Jaya. The story revealed that vice syndicates in Puchong and Subang Jaya have collaborated in promoting their services on a custom built website.

Although the tabloid hinted at but did not reveal the name of the website, it is believed that the website is cheongster.com. Cheongster in Cantonese generally describes someone who is a "player".

Cheongster.com is apparently an online brothel. It features photos of the prostitutes available, details of their race/ nationalities, the services offered and the fees. It also lists the phone numbers of the pimps (also called "agents").

Purchasing sex services in the Klang Valley has now become as easy as placing an order with Pizza Hut or Air Asia. Cheongsters can just book online or by phone, after selecting what they want at the website.

I heard cheongster.com's tagline is "Now Everyone Can F***".

According to the report, the website is very popular, attracting more than 300,000 page views from not only Malaysia, but also India and Singapore.

I wonder how the Malay Mail managed to obtain the page view and visitor traffic statistics of the website, as only the website's webmaster will have access to this information. I noticed that the website does not yet have a Google Pagerank and has a very low Alexa ranking. This generally indicates that the site is relatively new and attracts very few visitors; which contrary to what the Malay Mail is claiming.

Anyway, I suspect that cheongster.com is currently closed for "maintenance", as when I last visited, the page was blank. However, there is another site with a similar name called cheongsters.com. Although this site is not as comprehensive in comparison, but it features cheongsters' reports - where cheongsters share their experiences with other cheongsters. It operates somewhat like an online forum.

It seems that the underground vice industry is fast assimilating itself our multimedia industry. Don't be surprised if cheongster.com manage to get MSC status and a "cradle grant" one day. Who knows, right ?

I also won't be shocked to learn if Ah Longs (loan sharks) and pirated DVD vendors are already promoting their businesses online.

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Wednesday, December 3, 2008

Gangsters Demand Protection Money In Desa Sri Hartamas

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The Star reported recently that a restaurant in Desa Sri Hartamas suffered nearly RM100,000 in damages three men with parangs and sticks rushed in at about 11pm and started tearing the place apart, grabbing anything they could get hold of.

The report stated that a bakery in Desa Sri Hartamas was also hit and has suffered losses of over RM300,000 at the hands of thugs.
Apparently there are 3 gangs operating in the area demanding between RM500 and RM1,500 as protection money, striking fear into the businesses there.

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It is surprising that an upmarket area like Desa Sri Hartamas could fall prey to gangsters seeking protection money. Usually it is in areas like Cheras, Puchong and Pandan Indah in Kuala Lumpur which typically succumb to this menace.

It would be a frightening experience if you happen to be drinking or dining at Desa Sri Hartamas and these thugs enter with weapons and start creating havoc. Losing your money and other valuables is one thing, getting injured is another.

It is also interesting to read that at this day and age certain districts in Western countries especially in Chinatowns in London, Manchester, Sydney, Manhattan, Chicago, San Francisco and Vancouver are still targets of gangsters demanding protection money from small businesses.

In London, the gangs don't attack businesses with mere parangs and sticks. It is normal for them to use handguns and AK-47 assault rifles.

Please post your comments.

Everything You Need To Know About Google

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There is a good post on TechCrunch called "Everything you always wanted to know about Google but were afraid to ask". This post is actually about a 34-slide presentation on Google prepared by FaberNovel, a french consulting firm. Take a look.

Tuesday, December 2, 2008

Bomoh Kills Customer

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It was reported in a local tabloid recently that a 26 year old man who visited a bomoh to ease a neck pain died when he was electrocuted with a home-made electrical massage apparatus used by the bomoh.

According to the police, the bomoh used the home-made apparatus which looked like pieces of metal with wires connected to a power socket. The man was then told to hold the pieces of metal and the bomoh turned on the power supply.

The shocking thing is that the bomoh only realised something was wrong when the victim fainted 5 minutes later.

The 46 year old bomoh is now was held for murder.

What you think, guys ? Please post your comments.

Monday, December 1, 2008

Prostitutes In Kuala Lumpur

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Almost every night, Amy (not her real name) would go "clubbing" at the nightspots in Jalan Bukit Bintang and Sultan Ismail, Kuala Lumpur's golden triangle, looking for fun and "extra cash". With her black skin-tight miniskirts with a revealing top, Amy easily draws attention from the males as soon as she walks into any of these nightspots.

Amy is 21 years-old and comes from a state in the east coast of West Malaysia. Amy came to KL to get a job after obtaining a 3rd grade in the SPM exams. At first she obtained a job as a sales promoter at a shopping centre in the city, but her monthly salary of RM800 is hardly enough for her to survive in KL. To make matters worse, she has to send home approximately RM200 a month for her parents and 5 siblings who are still schooling.

Is RM600 sufficient for her room rental as well as food, transportation, handphone, cosmetics, clothes and entertainment expenses in KL ? Hardly so. Amy found an easy way out of her predicament. As she is blessed with a beautiful figure and a cute face, she decided to join the world's oldest profession - prostitution. She found a job as part-time prostitute to earn the extra cash she desperately needs for her luxurious lifestyle.

Becoming a prostitute is nothing new in Malaysia. Many women, even those with tertiary education and permanent employment still become prostitutes. Educated women who become prostitutes are usually part-timers who want a luxurious lifestyle like owning a nice condo, an expensive car, the latest sophisticated handphones and wearing designer clothes. Aparently the demand for prostitutes in Malaysia is rather high, especially in cities like Kuala Lumpur, Penang and Ipoh.
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In Kuala Lumpur, lower class brothels and prostitutes are mostly located in Jalan Alor, Jalan Hicks and Jalan Bukit Bintang all in the Bukit Bintang area, and in Jalan Thambipillay, in the Brickfields area. These, as well as the infamous red-light district of Lorong Haji Taib and Chow Kit is the hub for prostitution in Kuala Lumpur.

Higher class prostitutes or call girls (sometimes also called escorts) normally ply their trade at nightspots in Jalan Bukit Bintang, Jalan Sultan Ismail, Jalan Horley and Jalan Imbi. With the influx of prostitutes from China, Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar and the Philippines, the local girls are getting the run for their money. Of all these foreigner women, those from China (locally called China Girls) seem to have entrepreneurial advantage - read How "China Dolls" Make Money In Malaysia.

There is a huge disparity in the earnings of a high class prostitute and a lower end hooker in Kuala Lumpur. A high class call girl with a regular clients would be able to earn as much as RM2,000 per night, or even more. She often also works as a Guest Relations Officer (GRO) at an exclusive karaoke lounge to solicit for clients and earn a salary with tips as well. However, life is different for hookers operating at Lorong Haji Taib or Chow Kit. They generally earn just enough for the basic living necessities. They would be lucky to earn RM50 a night. Some supplement their income working as GROs for tips in budget karaoke lounges locally called papaya farms.

Prostitutes in Malaysia not only ply their trade in nightspots and hotels but also double up as masseuse (locally referrd to as massage girls) working at massage parlours, Spa, health centres etc in the city centre.
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Friday, November 28, 2008

Terrorism And Google Ads

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These days you can buy Google Adwords to sell anything. Even terrorism.

Two offensive Google Ads appeared next to stories about the recent Mumbai attacks on the IBN Live site.

It is of course not Google’s intent to sell offensive ads, but its just their automated ads - content targeting system that is flawed.

Please post your comments.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Web Barack Obama 2.0

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After a seemingly impossible 2 year campaign, Senator Barack Hussein Obama was elected the first black president of the United States earlier this month. The president elect has grabbed his ticket to the White House with the largest, most organised and active grass roots support in the history of United States politics, and possibly that of the world. He undeniably owes much of his campaign success to the power of the internet - to raise funds, gain publicity and organise support.

Barack Obama's has reportedly an army of over 3 million Internet associated contributors and volunteers who helped him raise a record breaking $600 million in donations and tirelessly lobbied for support on the ground.

In an acceptance speech in Chicago, Senator Obama said, "I was never the likeliest candidate for this office. We didn't start with much money or many endorsements. Our campaign was built by working men and women who dug into what little savings they had to give five dollars and ten dollars and twenty dollars to this cause."

Related stories:

Obama's Viral Marketing Campaign

Obama: The Internet Maverick

How Obama's Campaign Changed Politics

For the past 10 years, the web has indeed changed the way people work and live. And it now has made another breakthrough; by changing the way people participate in local and world events, including the selection of leaders.

Please post your comments.

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Thank You

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Thank you all for visiting this blog.

The above is the screen shot of this blog's traffic for the previous week. With your support, this blog has been averaging between 400 - 500 unique visitors per day and is attracting approximately 13,000 unique visitors per month. This traffic also converts to about 26,500 page views each month.

I especially want to thank my regular readers; yes I know who you are ;). I know some of you have been visiting this blog when it only had less than 50 visitors per day. Thanks a lot.

This consistent traffic is a great motivation for continuing this blog.

Having said all this, I still need suggestions on ways to improve this blog - any suggestions are welcome.

Cheers, guys.

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

Barack Obama Elected President

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Barack Obama, the "Prince of Change", is set to be sworn in as the 44th president of the United States Of America. Some Malaysians believe that 44 isn't a good number. In Chinese geomancy the number 44 represents a "double death" (Sei-Sei, in Cantonese). But adding 4+4, you get 8 (Fatt, in Cantonese) - as Fatt means prosperity, it is believed that the number 8 brings the equivalent positive vibes. So, WTF ? (What The Fatt ?)

The America people have made yet another dramatic and benchmark decision today by electing their first black president. With this landslide victory, Senator Barack Obama is poised to start a new era in America and possibly the world. What kind of new era, however, is yet to be seen. But as the last eight years under President Bush have been very disappointing for most Americans, how bad can Obama be, in comparison ? If you've been eating roti canai everyday for the last eight years, even maggi mee will be a welcome change.

Barack Hussein Obama, whose father is Kenyan and mother, a white American, beat his rival John McCain by winning the key states of Pennsylvania and Ohio, prior to passing the essential threshold of 270 electoral college votes at 0400 GMT, when results showed he had also won California and many other states.

America's political hurricane has also caused Obama's Democratic Party, to wrest convincing control over both the Senate and the House Of Representatives as well. This shows how desperate Americans must be for change.

Change has already started in America, and the winds of this change may blow towards our direction. Eating roti canai everyday for so many years can be really enduring, and equally bad for health. Why not try eating something different ?

Please post your comments.

Monday, November 3, 2008

Movie Recommendation Tool

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Don't know what to watch next ? Use this tool to discover what movies you might like to watch. Type in a movie you like and you will get a list of several other movies that are similar.

Visit - MyFlimz

Please post your comments.

Saturday, November 1, 2008

The Art & Ethics Of Double Parking Your Car

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A lot of people would agree that whilst illegal parking (double parking) is perhaps one of the biggest contributing factor to chaotic traffic congestion at popular commercial areas in the Klang Valley, it is nevertheless a necessary evil.

Even Mat Salleh (Caucasian) expats living in Malaysia have resigned to the idea that "when in Rome, do as the Romans do..." - thus in Malaysia, they have also learned to double park their cars just like Malaysians.

As the art of double parking has become a necessary survival skill when living in cities like Kuala Lumpur, the ethics involved should be considered as well. Why ethics ? well, to be considerate to other motorist, you'd have to double park your car in such a way so as not to block the traffic flow on the street. There are lots of inconsiderate "double parkers" (a new Malaysian term) in the Klang Valley - they double park their cars and leave very little space for other vehicles to maneuver, thus clogging the street. Some even double park their cars and just disappear from the vicinity. This cause the drivers wishing to remove their cars from the proper parking lots pressing on their horns (sometimes for 15 minutes or more) in attempt to get the attention from these inconsiderate double parkers, who are no where in sight. This is totally inconsiderate and irresponsible double parking ethics.

Allow me to be politically incorrect: the major culprits unfortunately are women, Ah Bengs and Machas. Women, because they normally can't drive or park very well to begin with - a skill flaw. Ah Bengs and Machas, because they are generally socially inconsiderate - an education problem. I might be wrong, as I do not have statistics to back this up, but this is my personal opinion based on my observation.

According to a recent news report, there are apparently plenty of commercial parking facilities made available, but motorist just refuse to pay the exorbitant parking fees. Of course, no one is willing to pay RM3.00 per hour if they're only wanting to park their cars for less than half an hour. What's worse is that these commercial parking facilities are usually half empty and the car park management would rather leave it that way instead of restructuring the fee system.

So folks, if you have to double park your car - be considerate.

Please post your comments. And be considerate also. ;)

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Can Anyone Really Stop Software Piracy In Malaysia ?

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It is reported in the local media that the Ministry of Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs has launched Sikap Tulen IT Mall campaign to curb software piracy in IT retail outlets in the Malaysia's shopping malls.The campaign is in collaboration with antipiracy watchdog, the Business Software Alliance (BSA), Low Yat Plaza, famous as an IT and consumer electronic and ­software giant in Kuala Lumpur, and Microsoft Malaysia.

The campaign is looking at Lot Yat Plaza as being the benchmark for other shopping malls to emulate.

I doubt it would be easy to curb software piracy in Malaysia as this issue is complicated due to cultural, economics and logistical reasons.

Firstly, from a cultural point of view, Malaysians do not think its wrong to purchase and use pirated software. For any law and its enforcement to succeed, the public must feel its wrong to do such an act - in this case, purchasing and using pirated software. When people don't think its wrong; there is no social coercion - there is no shame involved, thus, who cares ?. A good case in point would be the Prohibition era in the United States - the period from 1920 to 1933, during which the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol for consumption were banned in the US by law to discourage Americans from consuming alcoholic beverages. The US government found it very difficult to enforce this law as Americans in general didn't feel its wrong to drink alcohol -they didn't feel ashamed buying and drinking alcohol just because the law says its prohibited. American suppliers and consumers thus ignored the law. As demand for alcoholic drinks remained, a black market emerged to feed this demand. Even the enforcement agencies eg. the police, didn't think alcohol trading and consumption was wrong, so they "closed an eye" and took bribes from the black market alcohol manufacturers and traders, instead enforcing the law. Finally the US government gave up, amended the law and lifted the ban.

Secondly, from an economic point of view, there is a high demand for pirated software in Malaysia as the originals are considered expensive to the average Malaysian. When there is a demand, supply will always find its way to the market - this is basic economics.

Thirdly, from the logistics point of view, pirated software are easily available. Even if shopping malls were to prohibit its retailers from selling pirated software, the pirates will find alternatives - they will just move on to commercial shoplots near housing estates, just like what the movie DVD pirates do. Even now, some pirated movie DVD retailers in shoplots or at the pasar malam are already offering pirated software in addition to pirated movies and music. Further, consumers are also downloading pirated software from the internet - with a little initiative, anyone can find 'free' software online, ready for download.

Recently (on August 27), when Microsoft Malaysia decided to cause a "black out" on computers running the pirated version of Windows XP pro, a kid (apparently only 12 years old) posted a script in one of the Malaysian online forums "teaching" people how to overcome this predicament.

Thus far, the government, BSA, Microsoft etc have only been addressing this issue by attacking the logistical aspects of the trade - controlling the traders and retailers. This is not generally an effective and long lasting strategy. Even BSA Malaysia was reported saying that the Sikap Tulen campaign has only assisted in reducing the software ­piracy rate in the country by 1%, from 60% to 59% last year, but software piracy losses still amounted to US$311mil (RM1.02bil).

In light of this, a better and more effective strategy in combating software piracy in Malaysia would be to address the cultural and economic aspects as well - first, make Malaysians feel that software piracy is wrong and using pirated software is something to be embarrassed about, and second, make original software more affordable. While this will not completely eradicate the demand for pirated software, a significant decrease can be practically expected - definitely more than 1%.

What do you think, guys ? Please post your comments.

World Class University Courses For Free

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Today, with the internet, you can have access to world class education for free. There are many top universities that offer free courses online, these are, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), Carnegie Mellon University, Tufts University, Stanford University and University of California at Berkley, amongst others.

The wide range of courses available include Accounting & Finance, Economics, Communication, Management, Marketing & Advertising, Technology, and Law.

100 Free Ivy League Business & Entrepreneurship Courses

Universities With the Best Free Online Courses


Please post your comments.

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Lim Kok Wing University Students Scandal Pics

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It has been reported in the press recently that two Malaysian women from Lim Kok Wing University in Cyberjaya had their intimate pics with their boyfriend posted on a blog. The pictures and videos were taken between 2004 and 2005.


Apart from posting the photos of the threesome in various sexual positions, the blog also provided links to download two videos featuring these women having sex with their boyfriend.

The two girls are local Chinese and the guy is a foreign student from Pakistan. It appears that the two girls are sharing the same guy and they are all friends. Each girl took turns to film the other girl having sex with the Pakistani guy.
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A reader sent me the link to the blog with the pics and videos - here and here. Enjoy.

Please post your comments.

P/s: As I think people's privacy should be respected, I have removed the links. Sorry Folks. But you can find them yourself from a blog called thegutterpost


Monday, October 20, 2008

What Were You Doing In Jalan Alor ?

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What's in a name ?

Jalan Alor a street running parallel to Jalan Bukit Bintang in the heart of Kuala Lumpur's Golden Triangle becomes alive at night with sights and smells of Chinese hawker food. The entire street is lined with Chinese coffee shops and restaurants selling anything from local seafood to satay. The stalls are also all arbitrarily queued up along the street together with plastic dining tables and chairs crammed between double parked cars. For first timers visiting Jalan Alor, it can be quite an intimidating experience.

Jalan Alor, formerly a major red light district of Kuala Lumpur, has since undergone a few face lifts over the years, and the street is now a haunt for local gluttons and tourists. The Jalan Alor experience brings to life the Malaysian phrase "jalan jalan, cari makan", although today the phase takes on a more literal meaning.

Today, the Star has reported that Jalan Alor is soon to be called Jalan Kejora, to give it a "new image". Read this:

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

By YIP YOKE TENG

KUALA LUMPUR: Jalan Alor on Yahoo! returns more than 900,000 results. It is that famous.

[I think this reporter has made a conceptual error about the search results on Yahoo. While there is some co relation between search engine results and popularity of a particular term or phrase, this however, cannot be relied upon to determine its popularity. Search results for a particular term or phrase from search engines (in this case, Yahoo) does not indicate its popularity ie. it does not indicate the number of people searching for the term or phrase eg. "Jalan Alor". It just indicates how many references (ie. websites, articles etc) are found on Yahoo for the term "Jalan Alor". To determine how many people are actually searching for a particular term or phrase, you will have to use certain tools like Yahoo Search Marketing (formerly called Overture). From my independent research, there are only about 1,600 searches for the term "Jalan Alor" per month. As there is normally a huge disparity between search engine results and the actual number of people searching for a term or phrase, making an assertion based on such search engine results alone, can be highly misleading]

Yet, Kuala Lumpur City Hall is adamant that changing the name to Jalan Kejora - a move that has sparked a public outcry - is the right thing to do.

Datuk Bandar Datuk Ab Hakim Borhan said the move, which was planned three years ago, would give the tourist destination of Bukit Bintang a new image.

[How does renaming a street Jalan Kejora improve its image ? - As far as I know "Bintang Kejora" simply means "Morning Star", but so what ? How does this change anything ?]


Popular spot: Azmi (left) serving customers at his ‘Nasi Lemak Alor Corner’ stall along Jalan Alor recently.

“Other roads in the area will soon have new names, and they will all be named after the stars to create the new image,” he said yesterday during a visit to a landslide site in Cheras.

The name change came to light when city hall replaced the road sign about a week ago. The Jalan Alor name has been in existence for 35 years.

[A street with its own "brand name" which took 35 years to nurture is about to be "re-branded" to something else, which represents, basically nothing !. Would Coca-Cola Corporation change the famous name of "Coke" to "Choke" or something else, just because they don't like the taste of the original Coke ? - change its name rather than its taste ? So, if you don't like your Proton car, just change its logo to that of a Mercedes ! or whatever that suits your fancy - why not a fighter jet (eg. a F-16 Fighting Falcon) ? I've seen modified (disfigured) Protons which propose to look like fighter jets. Malaysian creativity knows no limit, and shame - take a look at this, this and this]

City Hall explained that the name was changed at the request of the National Economic Action Council to meet requirements under the road naming guidelines and to go with other roads in the vicinity.

The MP for Bukit Bintang, Fong Kui Lun, who has brought the matter up with the Federal Territories Minister, said: “How can you change the name just like that?”

Name confusion?: Tourists (from left) O’Connor, Jack Coppock and Caitlin Coppock feel that the popular street should retain its name for the convenience of tourists looking for the place the next time they return here.


He said a search of Jalan Alor on the Yahoo! search engine returned more than 900,000 results.

[Even the Bukit Bintang MP, makes the same conceptual mistake about Yahoo search results as the reporter]

“You can imagine how famous this food haven is internationally,” he said.

Fong said that the area had taken years to establish its reputation and changing its name overnight was unfair to the locals.

“We want the name maintained,” he said, adding that he would bring up the matter up to the Tourism Minister.

Traders in the area could not fathom the rationale behind the move.

“Why must they change the name when it is already popularly known among the locals and tourists?” said Loke Yew, who has been selling fruits there for the past 35 years.

Trader Azmi Aznal said: “Even my stall is called Nasi Lemak Alor Corner and now City Hall has changed the road name for no apparent reason.

“Does that also mean I should change my stall’s name too?”

[Ahhh...now we see the real reason for the name change]


Several tourists have frowned at the move.

“The new name will definitely confuse some of us when trying to find the place in the future,” Australian tourists Jenny O’Connor and Caitlin Coppock said.

It is learnt that traders and residents have embarked on a signature campaign to stop the change in name.

Datuk Dr Lee Chong Meng, the Bukit Bintang MCA division chief and a former MP there, said the change was not justified, and that City Hall should focus on more meaningful issues.

Latest news (25/10/2008): Jalan Alor will keep its name

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Please post your comments.

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Top Food Courts In The Klang Valley

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If you live in Kuala Lumpur or Petaling Jaya you'll be familiar with the many food courts around. But some Malaysians and foreigners would disagree to this limited classification, as they see Malaysia being a food paradise and thus feel that the whole Malaysia is like one big food court - you can find food of multifarious varieties at any corner of the country. Anyway, here are the top ten food courts in the Klang Valley (all in KL and PJ), decided by a local newspaper.

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

By Renita Che Wan

Klang Valley houses several top food courts in the country and we have selected some outlets for you to check out and savour the taste.

1. KLCC Signature

If you're ever in KLCC, you definitely must check out Cafe Milano at the Signature's food court . It serves taste pasta at an affordable price [prices about RM8 per portion]. A must try would be the Meatball Alfredo and Meatball Bologna. The food court opens from 9am to 10pm.

[Level 2, Suria KLCC]


2.
1 Utama

Owned by Jusco, this food court has a wide selection of dishes. From local picks to Japanese cuisines, it has everything that you crave for. The hot plate dishes seem to be all the rage now at the food court.

[lower ground floor - Promenade]

3. Mid Valley Oasis

Mid Valley Megamall has two food courts. Oasis is located on the 2nd floor and the Food Junction on the 3rd floor. Oasis is famed for its pan mee while Food Junction is a favourite among the youngsters for its wide selection of Western-Italian-Chinese-Japanese-Malay food.


[2nd floor of Mid Valley]


4.
SS2 Selera Malam

In SS2, there are several food courts for you to choose from. There's the al-fresco Medan Selera [Malay / Mamak / Chinese roadside food stalls] and Selera Malam [Chinese food court] but are on opposite sides. At the Medan Selera, they serve delicious mee goreng and there are a number of Thai stalls that serve fried seafood like lala and O Chien (oyster omelette).

5. Lot 10

Lot 10 Shopping Centre is one of the oldest shopping malls in the city. Because of its strategic location (right smack in the heart of Bintang Walk), it is a favourite amongst the city folk as it offers a well-balanced shopping and dining experience. Try either the Thai stall or the chicken rice stall.

[lower ground floor]


6.
Sungei Wang

On the top floor of Sungei Wang Plaza is a popular food court known for its reasonably priced food and variety of mixed rice. There are also several good Indian food outlets there if you crave for something spicy.

7. Hartamas Square

Hartamas Square established in March 2003 has since become one of the most popular hangout places amongst the younger crowd and expatriates. It has a good selection of eating outlets. Hartamas Square operates everyday of the week from 4pm to 3am on weekdays and on weekends they stretch it to 5am.

8. Uptown

It may take you some wait to get a parking lot here, but it is worth the wait. The hawker centre is over loaded with so many different stalls serving local as well as western dishes. You are spoilt for choice even when it comes to different types of drinks. The centre opens during lunch and stretches to 3am.

[Damansara Utama Commercial Centre]

9. Asia Cafe

This food court is a favourite among the college students as it is located opposite Taylor's and Inti Colleges in Subang Jaya. A must try is the wide range of sushi at Sushi Heng, on the left side of the food court from the entrance. Overall, the stalls there are worth checking out. [You can watch football and order beer here - its a college students' hangout]

10. Bangsar

Bangsar food court is famed for its Nasi Lemak Ayam although the price could be on the high side. There are two food courts in Bangsar Telawi - open air and indoor. Best time to visit is at night, either for dinner or supper as there are more stalls by then.

Source: The Star

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I think Ming Tien Food Court at Taman Megah deserves an honorable mention. In fact, it should be included in the top 10 in place of ss2 Selera Malam.

Okey. If you guys know of any other interesting food courts, please post your recommendations. Cheers.

Friday, October 10, 2008

Mat Rempits, Secret Societies And Their Benefit To Society

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Last year, AsiaOne reported that Mat Rempits have gone high tech and are using online networking sites such as MySpace to recruit new members into their gangs.

Mat Rempit gangs, the article said, are rapidly becoming a secret societies or triads, with strong influence with many anti-social pursuits.

One such gang is Apache Sereng. The police said that this group is persistent and active in recruiting students and getting them involved in anti-social activities such as motorcycle theft, illegal racing and alcohol consumption.

Apparently Apache Sereng has a wide network as it is active in many states including Kuala Lumpur, Selangor, Johor, Penang, Malacca, Perak, Pahang and Negeri Sembilan.

This is an organised group, with membership fees and membership cards. Fees range from RM10 to RM30 depending on the chapter you join. So this is not mickey mouse gang, folks ! it is a real criminal organisation.

Once a person joins the gang, he is given a membership card and a sticker to be attached to his kapcai or whatever motorbike he is riding to display his affiliation to the gang.

According to the article, people join the gang because it is well-respected among the Mat Rempit community which also promised to protect its members.

According to a report in the Malay Mail a few months ago, the police had detained some Mat Rempits who were suspected of being part of the Red Bull Gang. This gang was apparently robbing people, mainly women, at petrol stations late at night or in the early hours of the morning by using the Red Bull energy drink to temporarily blind their victims before robbing them.

I was told by an acquaintance, who is apparently an ex Mat Rempit, that different Mat Rempit gangs impose different conditions for membership. For some gangs, a person can only join if he owns the same brand of motorbike as the other members of the gang. Other gangs, however, require newbies to pass an initiation test - this typically involves an illegal motorcycle race against other members of the same gang or other gangs to see if the newbies can be an asset to the gang.

My acquaintance joked that if you have a space shuttle you can join the Malaysian angkasawan (astronaut) gang - so far, there are only 2 members and only one actually went to space.

Roti Canai Kaya Gang

I'm setting up the Roti Canai Kaya Gang. The object of the gang is to rob people who go to Mamak stalls late at night or in the early morning. We will blind our victims with kaya and rob them of their money, handphones and other valuables (including their slippers and shoes). The fruits of our activities will help cushion us against the current high cost of living.

Those who are interested in joining this gang must first post a slogan in the comments section, starting with "I want to join this gang because...". If you fulfill this prerequisite, I will tell you the other conditions.

Just post your slogans now ! I am waiting...

Thursday, October 9, 2008

The World University Rankings 2008

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The THES - QS World University Rankings is an annual publication of university rankings around the world, published by The Times Higher Education Supplement (THES) and Quacquarelli Symonds (QS).

This year, no Malaysian universities managed to get into the Top 200 Universities.

Is getting a degree from one of the world's top 200 universities advantages when finding a job in Malaysia ? Do the employers recognise and pay more if you get a degree from one of the world's top 200 universities ?

In my opinion, most employers in Malaysia don't care and most don't even know if your university is within the world's top 200 universities.

Even most top executives in Malaysian public listed companies do not have degrees from the world's top 200 universities, and some don't even have degrees.

Sadly, Malaysian employers only care about 5 things:

1. Can you speak and write English (and sometimes also Mandarin).

2. A basic degree (from anywhere also can lah !).

3. What is the lowest salary are you willing to accept.

4. Do you have valuable business / political contacts - who is your father / relatives.

5. Can you bring business to the company.

(and if you're a girl, being pretty and attractive helps a lot)

Thats all folks. Because we have very few world class companies and world class bosses, therefore world class qualifications are not appreciated in Malaysia.

So, if you want to get a job in Malaysia, don't waste your money on acquiring a world class degree, just buy a degree from the internet (nobody knows, and nobody cares - believe me).

This is the real reason for attending University - read this.

Please post your comments.

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

How To Send Anonymous Prank Emails & SMS

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With this tool you can apparently send anonymous emails or anonymous SMS text messages to your friend and make him think its from anyone eg. the tax dept, the police, the bank, his future employer etc. You specify the "From :" field. Where he thinks the message is from, is up to you.

Try this tool - Shapmail and fool your friends or enemies. :)

Please note: This tool must not be used for fraud or in pursuit of any other criminal activities.

Please post your comments.

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Business Through The Internet

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Interested in doing business through the internet ? The NST has an interesting story about this:

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

This festive season opens up a myriad of business opportunities for individuals and companies alike – more so now with the boundless reach of the Internet.

insidepix1


Rozita’s big dream is to have her cookies in all stores and made accessible to all Malaysians.
Rozita’s big dream is to have her cookies in all stores and made accessible to all Malaysians.

insidepix3


Rosman says the company’s strength is that its gifts are thematic for each season or festival and never repeated.
Rosman says the company’s strength is that its gifts are thematic for each season or festival and never repeated.

Raya delights on the web
Stories by Rozana Sani

HARI Raya cookies have always been in Rozita Abdul Kader’s blood. Her late mother was known for making the home-made delights, and the skill has since been passed on to her.

With encouragement from close friends, Rozita has for some

12 years produced cookies and conducted baking classes from her base in Klang, Selangor.

Initially, she sold her products to friends, colleagues and those who attended her baking classes, which were either held at her house or the students’ premises. Then, earlier this year, she decided to take the bold step of becoming a full-time entrepreneur, with Net presence as a key strategy.

“I got the inspiration to create www.ita-delight.com from the company that I was previously employed with. The company had set up a Web site to introduce its presence to the world. When the company became successful, I was forced to make a decision whether to remain as an employee or to become self-employed,” she says.

Rozita decided to do it alone. But first, she prepared herself by doing some research on online businesses by surfing the Internet.

“Much to my surprise, my Ita-Delight products have already been listed on several Web sites under the Biskut Raya category. I looked around online and found a company which manages Web sites for those who did not have knowledge in IT like me,” she shares.

Soon after, Rozita had Ita-Delight.com up and running, and is now successfully hitting sales in places as far as Sabah, Sarawak and Brunei.

“Once I started making sales through online means, I let go of my position in the company and became truly self-employed. I also felt ready with my skills to expand my baking classes to a few States outside Selangor,” she says.

Elaborating on Ita-Delight.com, Rozita says the local company she hired to develop the site also has experience in worldwide Internet marketing.

“I have been using their services for Web site management and Internet marketing solution. The cost of conducting business over the Web is not only affordable, but also easy.”

She highlights with pride that she can now update the baking class schedules in the site’s Calendar feature herself, apart from adding and editing the site’s content, uploading pictures in the gallery and sending newsletters to registered members.

She can also relay short messages and respond to queries through the chatbox.

“The most important feature of my Web presence is the e-commerce system. It is capable of receiving orders of every type of cookies that I have, and can automatically calculate the postage rates according to our local shipping provider based on the order quantity, weight and the customer’s address. The way the system works has really helped me to organise my customers’ orders,” she says.

Ita-Delight.com is now six months old.

“For the first three months, the site had some 120 hits per day. There were more visitors each time we made an advertisement through the e-mail group or local newspaper,” Rozita says.

She continued to retain the services of her Web consultant after the three-month period.

“Now, my Web visits can reach up to 400 in one day. I can say about 80 per cent of my Biskut Raya sales are made through my Web site, either by online order or e-mail. Therefore, the Internet is the main channel of my business now,” she says.

Rozita’s big dream is to have her cookies in all stores and made accessible to all Malaysians.

“My Web consultant is planning to market the Ita-Delight cookies worldwide. This means people from outside Malaysia can also use our Web presence to order Ita-Delight cookies in the near future.”

A GIFT FROM THE HEART

THE act of sending a gift is a sure-fire way to strengthen a relationship, what more in the months of Ramadan and Syawal. And the gift should be chosen with care so the recipient knows it is given from the heart.

This is where Pods & Petals’ Giftlab

(M) Sdn Bhd (PPG) comes in. In its sixth year of operations, the company prides itself as a trend-setting gift and delivery company specialising in hampers, food baskets, gifts and flowers – all of which can be either ordered through the Internet, fax, phone or personally.

“Our strength is that our gifts are thematic for each season or festival and never repeated. We take the time to handpick each item for all our products. Where we are not able to service customers, we are represented by our associates who adhere to our strict quality control,” says PPG’s sales director Rosman Jasmi.

For Ramadan and Syawal this year, the company has gone Middle Eastern with delicacies, hampers and gifts themed as such. Highlights include a certified ceramic Turkish serving plate and embroidered Syrian tablecloths that could be given pre-Raya or during the open house season in Syawal.

“Our whole portfolio can be viewed at our online boutique at www.gift-lab.com. If customers are at a loss as to what they want to pick, they can click on our Gifting Tips button for ideas.

“Our customer service team will call up our customers who have made their orders online or via fax to make sure the gifts chosen are truly what they want and according to their specifications before proceeding with delivery,” Rosman says.

PPG’s delivery area covers all States within Malaysia and countries such as Singapore, Australia, Hong Kong, Thailand, New Zealand and the United Kingdom.

“For Hari Raya, we have for the past years received online orders from Malaysians residing overseas who want to send goodies to their friends and relatives in Malaysia. We are also receiving requests to send hampers to more countries abroad,” Rosman says.

He adds that PPG has secure servers that ensure all payment transactions made on its Web site are safe.

“This means you pay nothing if unauthorised charges are made to your card as a result of shopping at PPG. Any information provided to us will be respected as privileged information and will remain absolutely confidential. Other than credit cards, we provide the convenience of online banking payment and mobile payment.”

According to Rosman, the online channel has been factored in from the day PPG launched into business. To date, the company has spent a sum in the six figures to continuously update and maintain its computer system.

“Our online channel contributes approximately 30 per cent to the total business; the remaining 70 per cent comes from corporate sales. Last year, during the Hari Raya-Deepavali twin festivities, we hit around 1.5 million orders in total,” Rosman says.

Not resting on its laurels, PPG is set to launch mylittletail (www.mylittletail.com) after next month. Mylittletail is a new service for expectant and seasoned parents to assist in baby announcements, full moon celebration giftpacks and birthdays.

“It’s not just restricted to the Chinese community, but can be applied to events like Malay’s Cukur Jambul and such events in the Indian community,” Rosman says.

Bargains aplenty

WHEN it comes to celebrating Aidilfitri, shopping malls are not the only places where you can look for a bargain. Great deals are available online as well, if you know where to go. Siti Syameen Md Khalili offers some clues.

GREETING CARDS

•At www.kreatifaktif.com, you can order custom-made Raya cards at attractive prices starting from RM2 per piece. There are templates to choose from, and you can even add your name or the company logo into the design.

The minimum order is 100 pieces, so you might want to omit details such as year or date so you can use the excess supply next year.

The proprietor of the Web site, Kreatif Aktif Media, is a graphics designer company offering digital fast print services for making business cards, flyers, postcards, wedding invitations as well as customisation of souvenir items.

For Raya, the company is offering over 40 Raya card designs in multiple sizes.

CLOTHING

•At Mawar Aksesori (mawaraksesori.blogspot.com), you can order and buy kebaya, baju kurung and baju melayu of the latest styles. The baju kurung offered are the latest imported from Indonesia while textile offerings include silk and Thai silk. You can order and make retail or bulk purchases.

CAKES AND COOKIES

•Ellie Darus, who sells cupcakes online, offers special promotions for the 2008 Aidilfitri. Through her online business, de HearT Cupcakes (kekcawan.blogspot.com), she shares information such as the types of cakes available for booking, booking date, delivery schedule and delivery service details.

Apart from using the blog, she makes use of her list of contacts to send the promotion materials through e-mail. For the upcoming Raya, de HearT Cupcakes’ offerings include Cupcakes Gift Set, Mini Choc Cake Ball and Chocolate Truffle Tart.

HOME ITEMS AND WARDROBE PIECES

•Members of e-Bay Malaysia who are looking forward to beautify their home can log on to www.ebay.com.my to shop for furniture, bedding and even gardening items.

You can spruce up your lawn before that Raya BBQ session with plants, too. Apart from that, kebaya, baju kurung, fabric and textile pieces are available.

If you are not a member yet, this festive season might be a good time to start.

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