The Sichuan Earthquake

In the previous day, TV news coverage did mention that two high schools did tumble down due to the strong earthquake measuring 7.8 on the Richter Scale that happened in Sichuan, China.

It was mentioned that there was an estimated 900 students / teachers that could be trapped in a middle school. By listening to it and seeing the TV news anchor person reading out the news doesn't really hit me yet.It didn't hit me until I saw the following picture that was taken while rescue effort was being carried out at a school.


This picture tore my heart into pieces and tears gathered in my eyes. I'm lost without words. My condolence to the people of China.

Donations:-
* How can you help - China Daily
* China Earthquake Relief - Network For Good

Reading: National death toll rises to 14,866 two days after quake - China Daily
Reading: The Sichuan Earthquake - EastSouthWestNorth
Tags: Sichuan, China, Sichuan Earthquake, Tragedy

Barber in New York

There was once a very good barber in New York, he give free haircut to everybody who comes into his shop to have their haircuts.

One day a florist goes to him for a haircut. After the cut, he goes to pay the barber and the barber replies: 'I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service.' The Florist is happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop, there is a thank you card and a dozen roses waiting at his door.

A policeman goes for a haircut and he also goes to pay the barber after the cut. But the barber replies: 'I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service.' The cop is happy and leaves the shop.

The next morning the barber goes to open his shop,there is a thank you card and a dozen donuts waiting at his door.

A Singaporean software engineer goes for a haircut and he also goes to pay the barber after the cut. But the barber replies: 'I am sorry. I cannot accept money from you. I am doing community service.' The Singaporean software engineer is very happy and leaves.

The next morning when the barber goes to open his shop, guess what he finds there ....... .....
Can you guess?

Come on, think like a Singaporean lah....

have you got the answer ........... ?????

come on ............ .make your brain like a Singaporean! !!

guess....... ......what? ?

guess

guess....... ......... ......... ......... ......... ......









a dozen Singaporeans waiting for a free haircut!
Tags: Barber, New York, Singaporean, Florist, Policeman, Software Engineer, Funny, Humour, Jokes

Impatient Driver

Was approaching a toll booth and drove towards a particular lane to pay for toll. In front of me was a green Nissan car. Out of a sudden a navy blue Honda dashed pass me, trying to jump queue instead of wasting time lining up.

The Nissan car driver noticed it (I think via the rear/side mirror that a car was trying to squeeze itself into its lane). The Nissan car sped up at the same time with both cars going into the toll booth area and soon ............................................................................. BANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Both cars were stucked in the same lane and the drivers couldn't come out from their cars too.
Tags: Impatient Driver, Tragedy, Toll Booth, Honda, Nissan

True Account at Bandar Mahkota Cheras

Received this email from a friend who stopped at this disputed road access area just to witness the on-going commotion. Due to the KPC part of her, she was able to relate the real incident to us on that fateful night when the riot police charged at the Malaysian citizens. So, this is not a fabricated story (that came with her personal frustration) like those you have read in the non-trustworthy mainstream media nowadays.
-----------------------------

I was there. As an eyewitness to the whole brutal episode, I have to say that the police were firing at women and children as well, as most of the onlookers present were not only from Bandar Mahkota Cheras, but also residents from the surrounding Tun Hussein Onn, Cheras Perdana and Balakong. Imagine the scene. All races. Thousands thronging at midnight when they could have been in bed. All terribly curious - the typical "stop and stare" Malaysian wondering how long this "GRAND Cat and Mouse SAGA" was going to hold. I was on my way home after a trip back from Ipoh and a stopover at a home fellowship.

It was late and I was tired. However, the sight of red FRU trucks jamming up the highway and the mass of people overflowing on to the roads post-elections was just too shocking. The "typical Malaysian" me took over! I parked my car and walked over to add another body to an already electrically charged scene. It was a peaceful gathering and many of us there felt great compassion for the resident for having to endure all this. I listened to the side conversations which seemed to resonate throughout the crowd -- a unison voice that foreshadowed a deep sense of helplessness and anger as they watched the workers putting up the barricades. I clapped and cheered along too when finally the Segambut MP appeared.

A happy ending, I thought, and many of us KPCs decided we had had enough - time to go home after smiles, guffaws and handshakes were passed all around. I was busy text messaging and updating my friends and colleagues when suddenly I heard the FRU bells being rung. Not possible, so I thought. No way. What happened right after was beyond belief! It was distressing for me to have watched a well behaved group of people being charged at, chased and mauled as if they were like dogs and it was sad that the police sided with the toll operator to hurt innocent people who use the highway everyday.

So, whatever you read in the newspapers from the police side of the story, please, that's so totally fabricated it makes me puke. It was grave injustice - not only were we doused, we were gassed. In that commotion, people were shouting - Mana Pak Lah? Where is Pak Lah? Mana dia? where is he? Dia tak peduli tentang rakyat dia ke? Does he not care for his people? Apa kerajaan ini, tak kesian ke kepada rakyat? What kind of government do we have - don't they have compassion for their people?

You know, having been to Bersih and watched Hindraf as well -- this takes the cake -- for the number of tear gas bombs spent, and the level of force! When the UMNO supporters gathered at Komtar, were they doused and gassed? My message to the police is - UMNO, and their toll operator and fellow corporate friends, do not pay your salaries. We, the tax payers of Malaysia do. And the irony of it all - my father was a policeman too. So, I understand, and I know.

Related post - Grand Saga vs Bandar Mahkota Cheras
Tags: Grand Saga, Bandar Mahkota Cheras, FRU, Riot Police

Man United - 17th EPL Championships

Manchester United confirmed their tag as the favourite to win the 2007/2008 English Premier League championship by toppling Wigan away with goals coming from the boy wonder, Cristiano Ronaldo and the veteran, Ryan Giggs.

With this win, Man United has claimed their 17th English championship.

Man United opened their account to reclaim their championship via a penalty shot by Cristiano Ronaldo. It did send Chris Kirkland the wrong direction.

On the 80th minute, Ryan Giggs who came on as a substitute for Park Ji-Sung, was fed with a through ball by Wayne Rooney right inside the penalty box. With his cool composure, he slotted in the goal that confirmed the championship.






All the hype from Chelsea that they would overtake Man United on the last day of the season came to naught when they were held to a 1-1 draw at home. Their misery was compounded when their captain, John Terry, was stretchered off. Let's hope that he doesn't come back for the UEFA Champions League final on 21 May to be held in Moscow. Wahhhhhhhhh, how come you have such thinking on another human being .................... for now, I'm a Man United supporter. Couldn't care less about his health ............. hehehe

Just one more win will cap a remarkable season for Man United. I could still recall the last 3 minutes of the 1999 UEFA Champions League final against Bayern Munich.

Football fans from other clubs kept their distance from me to avoid further berating from me ..... hahaha. Personal experience - I can find many anti-Man United people on this face of the earth. You seldom hear of anti-Liverpool, anti-Chelsea or anti-Arsenal people but you can bump into many anti-Man United anywhere. Due to jealousy on Man United's success?

I think the sales for today's Star newspapers would be quite bad as the headlines on the front and back pages highlighted Man United's success with big pictures. Anti-Man United people would definitely curse such publicity for such a club. That's my club for the last 26 years.
Tags: Manchester United, Man United, Man U, English Premier League, EPL, Football, Soccer, UEFA Champions League, Chelsea

Is Malaysia's Fuel Price Cheaper?

The Malaysian government, on each occasion of announcing the fuel / petrol price increase would tend to compare with the neighbouring countries' prices. In doing so, they would say that our price was still the lowest in the region.

But has our Malaysian government tried to compare the fuel / petrol price with other oil producing countries? Malaysia is still a net exporter oil producing country at the moment.

A Germany-based company, GTZ International ("GTZ"), has done a survey in year 2007 on behalf of the World Bank in reviewing the fuel prices throughout the world. A common price denominator was fixed at US$0.38 per litre (Nov 2006 pricing), which was also the benchmark price for the world crude oil market. A good way to gauge when comparing different countries' way of measurement.

In GTZ's latest survey (click to download the 2 pages full survey), Malaysia has been listed at number 20. It shows that Malaysia's fuel price was the twentieth cheapest in the world. Not bad........... not true when the Malaysian government said that Malaysia's fuel price was the cheapest in the South East Asia region as Brunei's fuel price was even cheaper.

The Top Twenty list:-
1) Turkmenistan - US$0.02 per litre (ultra cheap, are you sure this is top grade oil?)
2) Venezuela - US$0.03 / litre
3) Iran - US$0.09 / litre
4) Libya US$0.13 / litre
5) Saudi Arabia - US$0.16 / litre
6) Qatar - US$0.19 / litre
7) Bahrain - US$0.21 / litre
8) Kuwait - US$0.22 / litre
9) Egypt - US$0.30 / litre
10) Yemen - US$0.30 / litre
11) Oman - US$0.31 / litre
12) Algeria - US$0.32 / litre
13) Brunei - US$0.34 / litre (Brunei is in the same region with Malaysia)
14) United Arab Emirates - US$0.37 / litre
15) Trinidad and Tobago - US$0.43 / litre
16) Azerbaijan - US$0.46 / litre
17) Ecuador - US$0.47 / litre
18) Angola - US$0.50 / litre
19) Nigeria - US$0.51 / litre
20) Malaysia - US$0.53 / litre (approx. RM1.71)

You have to know that the top twenty countries are oil producing countries and also net oil exporters. The US$0.38 per litre benchmark price was based on the crude oil price of US$60.20 per barrel. At that point of time, the Malaysian government has already mentioned that they have subsidised the fuel / petrol price heavily to the tune of tens of billions (Ringgit Malaysia currency).

As can be seen in the GTZ 2007 survey, during the crude oil price of US$60.20 or US$0.38 per litre, Malaysian fuel price was already being retailed at petrol station at the price of US$0.53 or RM1.71 (using the current currency exchange rate of US$1.00 = RM3.23).

The Malaysian government has been maintaining the fuel price at US$0.59 or RM1.92 and it would have started subsidising the fuel price if it hits above US$93.46 per barrel or US$0.59 per litre (approximately). The crude oil price hit US$94.00 per barrel on 20 Oct 2007.

Unless the Malaysian government can proof that this GTZ 2007 survey done for World Bank is wrong, otherwise please tell us what kind of oil subsidies were our Malaysian government talking about all these years?

Reading: World Crude Oil Prices - Energy Information Administration

Related posts:- Peak Oil and Confirmed! Petrol Price @ RM2.70 TONIGHT! and Malaysia's Subsidy for Petrol Price
Tags: Fuel Price, Oil Price, Petrol Price, Crude Oil Price, GTZ International, World Crude Oil Price, Energy Information Administration, World Bank, Commodity, Malaysia

Certified Toilet Cleaner in Malaysia

Yes, the title that you have read is correct and the Malaysian government will implement this scheme that will see all food outlets having a staff that has been trained or certified by a recognised institution.

Of course this staff (could be one or two, depending on respective food outlet's budget), would specialise in ensuring that the toilet is kept clean according to the authority rules and regulations. In this case, the authority should be the Housing and Local Government Ministry since they were the one that suggested this scheme. I'm sure this Ministry will have plenty of vacancies for such "toilet inspector" running all over the country inspecting toilets.

During inspection, I'm sure the specialised toilet staff must be present to note whatever comments given by the Ministry staff. Maybe such jobs could be outsourced to a recognised company to do such inspection.

Imagine that a small coffeeshop being manned by an old couple with one or two foreign maids assisting them. Who would be sent for the prestigious training? Many coffeeshops in Kuala Lumpur has only one miserable toilet which could measure by 6feet(l) x 3feet(w). And a specialised toilet staff must be sent for training just to maintain the toilet's cleanliness.

Would understand if a food court that has a seating capacity for hundreds of people may require such specialised toilet staff due to frequent usage of the toilet by customers.

Next question is who would be the recognised institutions? Wow, the word institution sounds very big and professional. Soon, the trainees would be given the title of professional toilet cleaners. Suddenly, trainers specialising in toilet cleaning is in such a big demand. What criteria or qualification such trainers must possess before they could call themselves as certified trainer? Must the trainer have a minimum number of years specialising in toilet cleaning too?

What would be the cost for such training? Can you quantify it? Should a small coffeeshop that has a toilet size of 6feet x 3feet pay the same training fees for their staff as compared to a hotel staff coming from Shangri-La Hotel (chose this owing to its size and prestige) which has numerous gigantic toilets all over the hotel premise?

Sooner or later, a call could be even made compulsory where only recognised companies must be hired to clean all toilets found in all food outlets. I won't be surprised.

I'm not mocking people who clean toilet for a living but the issue is the way the government wanted to implement such an idea for the whole nation without much thought being put into it. Don't they think properly before they mumble something in public?

Malaysia Boleh!

Reading: Ministry wants clean loos at all food outlets - Star
Tags: Toilet, Toilet Cleaner, Toilet Cleanliness, Housing and Local Government Ministry, Toilet Inspector