See Thru Laptop

Another exciting Apple release? Apple's Macbook (or laptop/notebook) - with new technology where its screen is transparent even when it is fully operational. Interesting! Won't come cheap either. Apple is normally quite fast with its technology, just like the iPhone. Though their sales may not be high but there are still numerous buyers waiting for its latest release each time.


Tags: Laptop, Notebook, Apple, MacBook, iPhone, Technology

Unsung Malaysian Hero

Foo Leng Siew, a truly unsung Malaysian hero? Well, that's what the Star newspaper has reported on 14 May 2007. Foo was said to have participated in the 1936 Summer Olympics held at Berlin (yeah, during Adolf Hitler's time).

A bit sceptical on the report when I couldn't locate his name in the International Olympic Committee's ("IOC") officiall website's database.



Then I went to the World Olympians Association's official website to search for the Olympian's (Foo Leng Siew) details where database was available way back to the 1st Olympics held at Athens 1896. Still no records. How come?

Even 'weirder', an athletic can only represent a country after being selected by the National Olympic Committee ("NOC") of each country. Only a NOC was able to select and send teams and competitors for participation in the Olympic Games (source: IOC website). Why so weird? The Olympic Council of Malaysia was set-up in 1953 and only gained recognition from IOC in 1954.

With utmost respect to the late Foo Leng Siew, which organisation sent him to the 1936 Summer Olympics?
Tags: Foo Leng Siew, Malaysian, Athletics, Olympian, 1936 Summer Olympics, Berlin, Sports, Adolf Hitler, Olympic Council of Malaysia, National Olympic Committee

Volunteers for Beijing 2008

Deputy Youth and Sports Minister Datuk Liow Tiong Lai said China had expressed its eagerness for Malaysian youths to help out as volunteers at the next summer Olympics in Beijing - as reported in Star newspaper.

I really hoped that the newspaper or Youth & Sports Ministry would do some homework before blurting anything out just to fill in the empty space in the newspaper. The newspaper stated that volunteers were required for the 14 days during the Olympic Games. Please note that all volunteers were required to be in China (at designated cities/venues/stadiums) for training/briefing prior to the Olympic Games. Therefore, more than 14 days are required. Importantly, age requirement - not younger than 17 years old as at 30 June 2008.

China has started the recruitement of volunteers since end of March 2007 and according to their website, recruitment will end by end May 2007. Yet the Deputy Minister mentioned that he would hold further discussions on the recruitment. More discussions with whom and on what? Deadline is end of this month!!! Volunteers could have applied on their own via the Beijing 2008's official website, don't need government's assistance.

The following was extracted from the Volunteer Recruitment page:-

Volunteers should meet the following basic requirements set forth in the General Policy for Volunteers for the Beijing Olympic and Paralympic Games. They should:-
1) be able to serve voluntarily for the Beijing Olympic and/or Paralympic Games;
2) have been born prior to (or on) June 30, 1990, and be in good health;
3) be willing to abide by China's laws and regulations;
4) be able to participate in the pre-Games trainings and other required activities;
5) be able to serve continuously for more than seven days during the Olympic and/or Paralympic Games;
6) be able to hold a conversation in basic Mandarin, if their first language is not Mandarin; native Mandarin speakers should be able to communicate in at least one important foreign language;
7) possess the professional knowledge and skills necessary for their posts.
Applicants fluent in both English and Mandarin and competent in a special area will be given priority, especially those who can speak minor languages and are skillful in certain trades.

It would be great if I get to go. Would be able to blog about the extraordinary city of Beijing, its food (slurp!!), the great athletics that will congregate in China, plenty of pictures, get to travel in China (never been there yet) ...... sadly, unable to access the particular site to register myself ........ maybe have to rely on the government......maybe this was the reason the government has to assist people like us.

If any of you from the Beijing 2008 organising committee is reading this blog, please do consider me!!!!! FYI, I meet all the above requirements. Informal application but strong enough.
Tags: Beijing, China, Beijing 2008, Beijing Olympics, Volunteer Recruitment, Olympic Games, Paralympic Games

Singing Contests

In USA, the highly followed American Idol has sent a craze throughout the world. Even in Malaysia has its own Malaysian Idol chapter.

In China, no Idol chapter but it has its own Idol equivalent singing contest for the girls and boys respectively. The girls' contest is known as the Super Girl while the boys' contest is known as the Happy Male Voice.

In winning the respective girls' or boys' contest, it will bring instant recognition and fame to the particular individual. Hence, parents or relatives for a particular contestant will usually get their friends/other relatives to vote for their beloved girl/boy.

In Happy Male Voice, a controversy arose:-
One of the contestant found out that the biggest problem is that the SMS voting can be manipulated. My understanding is that there are two ways to get votes. First, there are the big fan clubs in Changsha. If you can contact their leaders and pay them, they can make sure that your votes skyrocket in a short time. There are also many Internet voting companies who specialize in casting votes. When I was competing, my family organized friends to send SMS. But someone told me that it was useless to send a few thousand SMS votes! The other people are using fan clubs and Internet voting companies! I thought, what kind of stupid competition is this? Another industry insider asked me, Do you want to manipulate this? For 3 million yuan, I can make you number one in the nation. I turned them down. My family is not rich. If I can compete, I will compete; if not, I will back out." (source: Y Weekend)

Is this happening in Malaysia as well for both the Malaysian Idol and Akademi Fantasia? I have heard of one Datuk (a title bestowed by a Sultan in Malaysia) who bought the SMS top-up cards and pass around the company's staff for them to vote for his kin. He's rich enough to go round passing such top-up cards. But it would be a huge 'investment' for other contestants' relatives if they are not 'rich'.

The China Daily has been quoted as missing the point about Super Girl (after a publication on Super Girl) - it it was not about democracy, but audience participation. Super Girl contestants were taking part in a reality show. Whether they could sing was immaterial because such television programmes are about entertainment. Hype, drama and audience-pulling stunts are a staple of the genre to ensure viewers do not change channels. (source: South China Morning Post)

I agree on this point as the main criteria was how cute/beautiful they were instead of how in tune was their melody. Defeats the main purpose of getting a top notch singer.

In China, the SMS messages generated during the singing contests would generate a profit of 30% to 50% even after a 15% cut for the telecom provider. How about the Malaysian chapter? Great returns indeed! The main sponsor of China's Super Girl - Mengniu Dairy Company Limited, has risen from being the 3rd largest dairy company to the top of the league during the run of Super Girl show from year 2004 onwards. Great corporate strategy tie-up. Owing to China's large population, an estimated 400 million TV viewers tuned in one night to watch Super Girl 2005's final round. Can you imagine that!
Tags: American Idol, Malaysian Idol, Akademi Fantasia, Super Girl, Happy Male Voice, China, Mengniu Dairy Company Limited, SMS Message, SMS Vote

Chelsea Business Tactics

These are examples of how a typical transfer occurs within Chel$ki:-

Typical Transfer no. 1
Mourinho: Hmm...that player that I saw the other day, lets buy him.
Russian Mafia Spy: That was a documentary on Franz Beckenbauer, the West German football legend.
Mourinho: Yeah, yeah spare me the details, offer him some cash so he will play for us.
Russian Mafia Spy: He retired from football like 30 years ago...I doubt he will be for sale
Mourinho: In that case, lets buy another German that begins with a B.
Russian Mafia Spy: Hmm...Ballack?
Mourinho: Sure, whatever, what have we got to lose anyway? Money? (laughs insanely)
Russian Mafia Spy: (laughs maniacally) Good one.

Typical Transfer no. 2
Mourinho: I received some shocking news yesterday. Apparently we are not at the top of the tables in the Premiership? THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! WHEN DID THIS HAPPEN!
Russian Mafia Spy: Its been like this the whole season, Man Utd were on top since the beginning...
Mourinho: WHAT!? Why was I not aware of this?
Russian Mafia Spy: Erm...I can think of several reasons, but thats not the point, we need to solve this problem.
Mourinho: Hmmm this should be simple, lemme just check my FIFA 07 on my PC and see which players are the most valuable...lets see...Rooney? Nah he will f*** all the 'Chelsea Pensioners'. Messi? Nah silly name. Hey check this guy out, Salomon Kalou is rated quite high! Lets buy this player!
Russian Mafia Spy: ...He's on our team already...
Mourinho: Fine then... I'll check some good players from the last few seasons... What about this guy?
Russian Mafia Spy: Erm... how long ago have you gone back?!? Jurgen Klinsmann is from ages ago! He just retired from coach of Germany!
Mourinho: Oh.
Shevchenko: Lets buy Kaka, I played with him in AC Milan and I think he is a great player.
Russian Mafia Advisor: Or, how about we get someone who is 10 years older. Either that or we buy a Cole.
Mourinho: I like your thinking Oudya Nickabollockov! Hmmm what about this Pele fellow?
Everyone: *silence*
Tags: Chelsea, Chelski, Jose Mourinho, Roman Abramovich, Russian Mafia, Football, Funny, Humour, Business Tactics

Jury

Tags: Michael Jackson, Jury, Court, Funny, Humour

Estonia Attacked !!!

Reports have gone out that Estonia, a newly accepted European Union member, has been attacked. Not hit by any missiles or rockets or invaded by enemies.

• Estonia's whole internet system was down nationwide since end April 2007. Both NATO IT specialists and Estonia top 300 IT specialists were rushed to salvage the situation.

Estonia has suspected Russia behind the cyber attack which Russia has denied their involvement. Why was Russia singled out? It seems that Russian was not pleased in a controversy removal of a monument dedicated to Soviet soldiers in the capital city of Tallinn. Russia has even called for economics blockade on Estonia due to the removal of the monument. What a farce!!!

For Estonia, such removal is a removal of 50 years of Soviet oppression. But why previous Soviet issues could still trigger such anger from Russia? Was Russia top government officials trying to intimidate Estonia, a country with only a population of 1,500,000? Surprisingly, Russians leaving in Estonia came out to protest and riot began.

Next thing, came the non-access to internet and emails system on the same rioting day. Life in the country was disrupted for the last 3 weeks, entire state administration was paralyzed, banks came to a standstill and companies had to freeze their operations.

This is how bad it could be in a cyber war. Nuclear bombs are not required anymore. North Korea and Iran may want to import such cyber war knowledge in future. (source: ABC News)
Tags: Estonia, Russia, NATO, Cyber War, Cyber Attack, Technology, Internet, Soviet