23 Years Later

Proton has at last manufactured and produced a model to replace the oldest car model in its stable of cars.

Proton Saga was the first car model by Proton in 1985 and 23 years later, they came out with the model replacement.

The new model replacement is still named as Proton Saga with a codename of Proton BLM (BeLated Model???????????).
Five variants are available for you to choose.
The price is within the range of many Malaysians i.e. between RM31,500 to RM39,998 (RM3.30 = US$1.00), depending on what add-ons you are looking for.

It's only within the range of Malaysians provided their income is above certain level. If you were single and do not need to support any family or family members, then a monthly income of RM1,300 could allow you to purchase with ease.
You have to read this blog posting - How to Survive With Your Salary? This will actually proof what Proton Holdings Berhad's Managing Director has stated - "anyone who earns about RM1,300 a month can afford the new Saga" do not hold any truth.

This 1.3 model has a fuel consumption rate of between 6 and 6.3 litre per 100km.
Tags: Proton Saga, Proton BLM, Car, Proton Holdings Berhad, Model Replacement

Migraine Attacks

At times I do suffer migraine attacks where the worst could result in me lying in bed. Slight movement will cause terrible poundings on my head and sometimes, nauseactic too. To some people, a medical leave is a time to relax but medical leave due to migraine is no relaxation at all. I'm like paralysed, either have to sit tight or lie down on bed to rest.

Most of the time I knew how my migraine came about and usually due to a change of cold-hot-cold-warm- stuffy-cool within a short period of time. As my body has yet to adapt the new environment, it changes again within the next few minutes. I knew that coffee and those strong cheese are my weaknesses too.

Some migraine info:-
* 1 in 10 people suffers from migraine attack, an average of 13 times a year
* Attacks last up to 72 hours
* An attack involves a throbbing headache with at least two other symptoms: nausea, raised sensitivity to light, sound or smell
* The pain is made worse by movement and sufferers want to rest and keep still in darkness
* Some sufferers have neurological disturbances, or auras, before the headache starts such as flashing lights, blind spots and zig-zag patterns but also including tingling, pins and needles and numbness
* Some people experience the auras only, or with only a mild headache
* Migraine is more common among women and is often linked to hormonal changes

A British doctor said that a particular drug on trial now could spell the end of the misery endured (John Chambers, a consultant cardiologist at Guy's Hospital London). I wonder how true?

As for me, the Panadol (a.ka. Paracetamol) or Ponstan pill won't relieft me at all and Sibelium did help. Local doctors have various kinds of prescriptions till I have forgotten the name of the current drug that I'm taking.
Tags: Health, Migraine, John Chambers, Guy's Hospital London, Panadol, Paracetamol, Ponstan, Sibelium, Headache, Nausea

Unfortunate Golden Globe Awards

Movie fans worldwide missed one of the glamorous award nights when actors/actresses boycotted the Golden Globe Awards night which was held on 13 Jan 2008.

The Writers Guild of America ("WGA") (representing 10,500 screenwriters) which has the rights to movies somehow went on strike over some agreements with Dick Clark Productions (linked to Hollywood Foreign Press Association, a not-for-profit California corporation comprised of journalists, which wholly owns the Golden Globe Awards).

The Screen Actors Guild that acted as a representative body for Hollywood actors/actresses agreed to stand on WGA's side. What a mess!

This caused, NBC, the broadcasting company for the event has to return US$20M back to advertisers that have bought advertising time during the event's commercial break.

Besides that, it was understood that a single awards night like this could generate around US$70M to US$80M and the following stakeholders were affected one way or another:-
* Party caterers - parties hosted by movie and TV studios could run up to US$200,000 each
* Limousine drivers
* Stylists & Beauticians
* Hotels
* Photographers (hundreds of them)
* Magazines (due to no pictures from photographers)
* TV shows
* Security guards
* Parking attendants
* Gown designers
* Bling-jewelry renters
* Last but not least - the red carpet supplier.

In order to continue with the programme, even though it was a low profile event, the Golden Globe winners were announced without any fanfare at Beverly Hilton. Sorry, ladies can't watch the latest gown designs for the yearrrrrrrrr.

Now, the producers for the 50th Grammy Awards, scheduled on 10 Feb 2008, are sweating too. Are they going to be hit by the boycott too? The 80th edition of the Oscars night scheduled on 24 Feb 2008 could be affected as well. No more awards shows for year 2008?

Reading: Scrapped Golden Globe ceremony hits Hollywood hard - Reuters
Reading: Striking Hollywood union weighs Grammys show plea - Reuters

Tags: Golden Globe Awards, Writers Guild of America, WGA, Dick Clark Productions, Hollywood Foreign Press Association, Screen Actors Guild, Hollywood, Grammy Awards, Oscars, Beverly Hilton

Financial Collapse

Just when I wrote about the financial effects on Malaysia with Citigroup's poor financial results, it came to my attention read that Singapore's Citibank branch could be affected. The Singapore office, being the key hub for the Asian market, employs about 9,000 people.

Citigroup staff rattled by bank's global lay-offs
By Gabriel Chen & Grace Ng
THERE was an air of apprehension at Citigroup's Singapore office as staff confronted news that the battered United States bank is axing thousand of workers across the world.
Some local staff from the corporate and treasury divisions have already been shown the door - part of the first wave of 4,000 sackings from Citi's global workforce of 375,000.
Anxious staff told the Straits Times they are also expecting the knife to be taken to their bonuses, which are to be announced soon.
'Bonuses will probably be announced next week, but nobody is expecting good [ones]. Expectations have been moderated,' said a senior Citi executive.
'Bonus?' said a bank researcher in his 40s, 'if you're not laid off, that will be a bonus.'
The bank is expected to eventually axe about 20,000 staff worldwide and sources said Singapore - a key hub for Citi in Asia with about 9,000 workers - cannot hope to escape the bloodletting, despite the region's buoyant economy.
A Citi management associate described the mood at the bank's Centennial Tower offices as 'rather ominous'.
He added that people are looking furtively around the office to see if any cubicles had been vacated overnight.

What would the probability be when Citigroup is axing 20,000 staff worldwide?

This will be a test on what I have posted earlier under Sweating Outcomes about God's provision.
Tags: Citigroup, Citibank, Asian Market, Retrench

Sweating Outcomes

In vain you rise early and stay up late, toiling for food to eat - for He grants sleep to those He loves. - Psalm 127:2

Coming into the Promised Land in business will change the way you and I view our work. No longer will we see getting up early and staying up late as God's way. Living in the Promised Land in work means we know that God is the source of our provision and that our work is an act of worship to Him. Provision is a by-product, not an end in itself. Work is no longer something that must be sweated and toiled upon to make ends meet. "Could this really be true?" you might be saying.

God has made it clear that obedience is the assurance of provision. Whenever we go beyond the normal workday due to fear of non-provision, we are operating in unbelief. We are saying that it is up to us to make things happen. Sure, there are times when we work longer hours due to a deadline, but we must be sure the motive is not out of fear of loss or fear of non-provision. If we are obedient to what God has called us to, He will provide our every need. This can be a hard lesson for goal-oriented workplace believers.

I recall coming into this understanding. I had been a workaholic. Long hours were common. Then God shook up my world and I was challenged by a friend to examine my motives for working long hours. I realized the source of those long hours was fear. Once I came into this understanding, I refused to work long hours even though the natural man would tell me I'd never make things happen if I worked a normal work week. Again, this reasoning is based on a lack of faith. If we are obedient to what God has called each of us to, we will not lack. At times it may be less than what we might like; at other times it may be more than we deserve. These are God's ways.

The Bible tells us to come out of Babylon. Babylon is a system of work and philosophy that is contrary to God's ways. Are you operating in any aspect of work from a Babylonian value system? Ask the Lord to reveal this to you. Begin to walk in the freedom He has given us in our work life.

By Os Hillman, April 25, 2007

After reading the above, how true it is that at times I do go through such thinking. Dwindling faith? Or trying to think logically/practically?
Tags: Promised Land, Babylon, God's Way, Workaholic

Collapsing Financial Markets?

Citigroup, the largest bank in USA, needed to write down a record US$18.1 billion from their accounting books which caused a reported US$9.83 billion loss for the quarter ended 31 Dec 2007. Reduction of staff is the next thing to stabilise the bank. Will Malaysia's Citibank be affected?

Bank of America ("BOA"), the second largest bank, needed to retrench 650 staff from the corporate and investment banking jobs and required to sell off prime brokerage unit,. BOA's fourth-quarter profits could be down by 80% and 32% overall. Hmmmmm, wonder how is BOA Malaysian branch faring.

All this, partly due to the financial crisis involving the mortgage sector and it's slowly eating into the banking system. The above stated results are really bad and Malaysia should be ready for it. Malaysia's predicted 6% rise in 2008's economy could take a real beating.

Malaysians should be prepared for a USA recession and when it hits, it will really whack us. With rising costs in all aspects that could happen right after the general elections (rumoured to be in Mar 08), we have to tighten our pockets.

Those living on borrowed credits should take pre-cautions now and that's the issue which is bothering me as I'm hunting for a house. I'm sure the banking interest rates will rise above the current BLR rate of 6.75%. So, those BLR -2% offers are just blinding us common folks and will be meaningless when rates are increased. Banks will want to maintain high profits and when we didn't account for an increase, we will be caught with high interest and thus high monthly payment or worse, bankruptcy. Yeah, I do play real safe.

I met with a financial institution guy the other day to discuss on a potential housing loan and when he assessed my financial situation, he said financial institutions don't like people like me. HUH?????

What? With a low outstanding housing loan, no car loans, no personal loans, zero credit card debts, properly insured with diversified investments - this isn't good enough?

Nah, his meaning is financial institutions preferred people on high housing loans, with car loans, with many personal loans, with carried forward credit card balance so that the financial institutions could earn more. The more default payments the better. But if everyone is like me, the financial institutions will collapse.
Tags: Citigroup, Citibank, Bank of America, Financial Institutions, Mortgage, Housing Loan, Bank Lending Rate, BLR

Crime on the Street

First hand account from a friend of mine who lives in sec 17 PJ.
Leonard.

There was an incident outside my house last night (Monday 14th Jan 08) about 10:45pm, in which a 6 knife wielding men surrounded a car and dragged the driver out in order to mug him.

The car had been sitting outside my house for about 10 minutes and the guys moved in once the driver cut the engine and prepared to get out. Due to the noise (there was a bang as they hit his car) and screams I thought there had been an accident and went out to see what had happened.

The combination of the gate opening right behind the thugs, light flooding the area, my dogs going wild and my foolish bravado as I approached and barked orders at them to leave the guy alone caused them to flee before getting anything.

Ok this is not a hero email....in retrospect I was putting myself at risk as I had no weapon but in these cases who thinks? The point I wish to make is this. The driver was reluctant to make a police report because the perpetrators were Malay and he believed the police would be biased against him. I have no issues with race when it comes to crime.

In my area I have seen Malay, Indian and Chinese gangsters at work so race is not an issue when it comes to crime. BUT it should NEVER be a reason for not reporting a crime. Once the driver was calmed down (about half an hour as it was a fearful shock) he went to the police station. There he discovered THREE others had reported the same scenario within half an hour, so a minimum of 4 attacks by the same gang in the SS2, Section 17, 13 and 14 areas.

Apparently 4 guys on bikes and 2 more in a car. I only saw the 4 on the bike as they skedaddled. He was lucky enough to have been the only one who lost nothing. Lessons to be learned:-

* ALWAYS report crimes. It helps the police know the hot spots. They do send armed patrols time to time to the worst areas.

* When naming race be objective. Many police are Malay and if you are sensitive to how you put this across I think you will find they are concerned that some bodohs are giving their race a bad name. We all have pride in our respective race and are annoyed at those of our own who pull it down.

* Be submissive when an armed assailant comes at you. Your life is worth more than billions of ringgit. Give them what they want.

* If you go past your house, or have left your car down a dark lane LOOK before going to it or before you unlock your doors. If in doubt, ie you see possible dangers it is best to go elsewhere and come back later once the potential threat has passed.

While I could throw in being aggressive chases them away I don't believe this was the case. They were caught by surprise and had no idea whether there were one unarmed guy or a whole hockey team coming out to beat the living daylights out of them. In retrospect what I did was stupid but at the time who can think.

Grant
Tags: Crime on the Street, Section 17, Petaling Jaya