Malaysia's Space Science University

Malaysia will be on the space science map again after having the first Malaysian astronaut up in space last Oct 2007. This time Malaysia will be ensuring that space science are being taught here to generate more interest in it. This won't be a government project but the proposed Space Science University of Malaysia would be financed privately by a local private company and an overseas partner.

This proposed university will be located in Kota Tinggi, Johore and maybe our two Malaysian astronauts or spaceflight participants (as defined by NASA still, wonder why?) will be there to cut the red ribbon during the opening ceremony of the proposed university.

Faculties that could be found in the proposed univeristy:-
* Space Engineering and Aeronautics
* Mechanical Engineering
* Bioengineering encompassing Biomolecular Engineering and Medicine
* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
* Computer, Robotic and Software Engineering
* Electrical Engineering and Electronics
* Geological, Atmospheric and Planetary Engineering
* Mathematical Engineering, Physics and Astronomy

Possible laboratories for research purposes:-
* Fusion Reactor or Thermonuclear Reactor
* Linear Collider
* Large Binocular Telescope-Neural Network Telescope
* High Performance Computing
* Supersonic Wind Tunnel
* Three Dimensional Simulation

Personally, we are aiming something too high for a nation that is still considered as a developing nation status. Not that we can't dream of having for which I would envisage it fully but not at this point of time.

Definition of a developed nation:-
A country with a relatively high standard of living, achieved primarily through social, economic, and technological infrastructure. The nations of Europe, the United States, Canada, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are referred to as developed, or industrialized, nations.

Definition of a developing nation:-
A country with a low standard of living, generally indicated by severe poverty, low income and education levels, high birth rate, and poorly developed social, economic, and technological infrastructure. This term has become favored over "Third World," which gained popularity in the mid-20th century. Many countries of Africa, Asia (except Japan), Latin America, and Oceania (except Australia and New Zealand) are referred to as developing nations.

To spend RM6.1 billion (US$1.84 billion) on just one university in an industry where Malaysia is not even at an infant level is wasteful and not viable. I am sure that all the proposed university's technologies and professors would be externally sourced.

Countries which have huge space exploration programmes like China, India, Japan and Russia do not have such space science university. In comparison, their annual investments in space programmes are as follows:-
* India - US$450 million
* Russia - US$500 million
* China - US$2 billion
* European countries - US$4.5 billion
* USA - US$16.2 billion

The proposed Malaysian university was to emulate the world's only two space science universities, namely Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Florida, United States and International Space University in Strasbourg, France.

By the way, Malaysia has a similar private university by the name of Malaysia University of Science and Technology ("MUST") which has been established since Dec 2000. Why not combined the efforts cohesively which will generate better economies of scale.

Really hope that this proposed Space Science University of Malaysia won't go down the same road as what MUST has gone through where MUST received financial assistance from the government when the plans couldn't 'take-off' as anticipated. I really wonder how well is MUST doing nowadays after reading MUST a flop of "smart partnership" with 10 students after 5 years.

Reading: RM6.1 Billion Space Science University Planned In Kota Tinggi - Bernama
Tags: Space Science University, Space, Space Science Education, Tertiary Education, Space Science University of Malaysia, Kota Tinggi, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, International Space University

BBQ Rules

We are about to enter the BBQ season. Therefore it is important to refresh your memory on the etiquette of this sublime outdoor cooking activity. When a man volunteers to do the BBQ the following chain of events are put into motion:-

Routine...
(1) The woman buys the food.
(2) The woman makes the salad, prepares the vegetables, and makes dessert.
(3) The woman prepares the meat for cooking, places it on a tray along with the necessary cooking utensils and sauces,and takes it to the man who is lounging beside the grill - beer in hand.
(4) The woman remains outside the compulsory three meter exclusion zone where the exuberance of testosterone and other manly bonding activities can take place without the interference of the woman.

Here comes the important part:-
(5) THE MAN PLACES THE MEAT ON THE GRILL.

More routine....
(6) The woman goes inside to organize the plates and cutlery.
(7) The woman comes out to tell the man that the meat is looking great. He thanks her and asks if she will bring another beer while HE FLIPS THE MEAT.

Important again:-
(8) THE MAN TAKES THE MEAT OFF THE GRILL AND HANDS THEM TO THE WOMAN

More routine...
(9) The woman prepares the plates, salad, bread, utensils, napkins, sauces, and brings them to the table.
(10) After eating, the woman clears the table and does the dishes.

And most important of all:-
(11) Everyone PRAISES the MAN and THANK HIM for his cooking efforts.
(12) The man asks the woman how she enjoyed "her night off." Upon seeing her annoyed reaction he concludes that there's just no pleasing some women.
Tags: BBQ Rules, BBQ, Food, Funny, Humour

Kung Fu Panda with 26 Kids

On Saturday morning, me and few friends brought 26 kids to watch Kung Fu Panda at Cineleisure. Twenty of those kids were from an underprivileged kids' home while the remaining six were our gang's kids.

By 8.50am I entered IKEA's basement car park and we brought all of them to IKEA's restaurant for the cheap cheap breakfast.

It was friend mee with the spicy sambal on their menu. They enjoyed it and was estatic when they found out that they could refill their drinks without limit.
This was taken while they were waiting for their food.











IKEA has this unique tray that could hold at least a few persons' servings at one go. Saves time and to ensure the queue moves on quickly. We occupied one corner of the restaurant.

Then off to Cineleisure for our show at 10.45am, the morning matinee. Never regretted bringing them for this Kung Fu Panda movie as adults all over the cinema hall laughed louder than the kids.

If you have not watch this animated movie, you have wasted something in your life. It's really hilarious. If you have been suffering at work for past weeks, this is your antidote.

Need to get them to line up while walking back to IKEA from Cineleisure. Not taking any chances if one was to get lost on the way back to the car park.








Our entourage caught many attention indeed with their striking green colour t-shirts.

Bought them the RM1.00 ice-cream at IKEA.
Who cares whether the floor is clean or not as long as they have the ice-cream.


They received a pack of goodies too.
The kids standing in different groups according to the different cars that they came with.
A few of us stayed back for lunch and we saw this Mama Nyonya restaurant. Always a crowd pulling kind of food for Malaysians.
Took the local delicacy of Nasi Lemak that comes with spicy chilli as well. I like spicy food. Never going to have enough of it.
This is the yam cake that came with their special sweet sauce and chilli again (optional of course but for me was compulsory).

Tags: Kung Fu Panda, Cineleisure, Movie, Mama Nyonya, IKEA

Extraordinaire Job Requirement

Imagine while reading the job vacancies section of the newspaper, you saw this advertisement:-

Job title - Petroleum Engineer
Age - 25 to 35
Work experience - 5 years in relevant industry
Qualification - Degree in Engineering
Marital status - If single, please get married and attach marriage certificate in submitting job application. If married, remain married.

Or, if you have been working for a few years and suddenly the Human Resource Dept issued a memo that read like this:-

To all employees who are still single,
The Board of Directors is of the viewpoint that family union is very important in each of the employee's maturity that will somehow improve the work efficiency.

Therefore, the company is now implementing and enforcing a new rule with immediate effect that is ALL employees who are still single to get married within the next 3 months. Otherwise, please submit your resignation letter by 21 Sept 2008.

You would say that this directive is bias, discriminatory and the people who thought about it have no sense at all.

Well, it's being implemented in Iran in a state-owned companies. One of them being Pars Special Economic Energy Zone ("PSEEZ") located mainly at the Assalouyeh city on the Gulf coast. Reasons are mainly to reduce sexual relations being illegal outside marriage and prostitutions living in the area. Do you with such new rulings, it would stop or even reduce those sins?

PSEEZ's Managing Director, Seyed Abdoljalil Razavi, who would have agreed to this idea holds the PhD and Master of Science in Strategic Management (must have read too much). This must be part of the strategy to reduce those sins. Respect! Respect!

Source - Etemaad newspaper (as if I know how to read) and BBC News/Africa.
Tags: Iran, Marry, Pars Special Economic Energy Zone, PSEEZ, Assalouyeh, Gulf Coast, Seyed Abdoljalil Razavi

Have You Been Complaining / Grumbling?

Since the announcement of the increase in the fuel price of up to 40% together with the increase of 20% in the electricity tariff from 4 June 2008, you could almost find a particular blog posting about it in every single Malaysian blogs.

Many people are now questioning how does the petrol subsidy works. I did some simple analysis and found it amusing too.

What's the meaning of subsidy and it could be explained in the following example by Seventh Rangers:-

Ahmad is a fisherman. He sells a fish to you at $10 which is below the market value of $15. Let's assume that he caught the fish from the abundance of the sea at little or no cost. Ahmad claims that since the market value of the fish is $15 and he sold you the fish for $10, he had subsidised you $5 and therefore made a loss of $5.

Question : Did Ahmad actually make a profit of $10 or loss of $5 which he claimed is the subsidy.

Answer: Ahmad makes a profit of $10 which is the difference of the selling price ($10) minus the cost price ($0 since the fish was caught from the abundance of the sea).
There is no subsidy as claimed by Ahmad.

You get the picture now?

Lastly, did you vote in the last general election that was held on 8 March 2008 that caused a political tsunami?

If you were eligible to vote but didn't vote or not even registered as a voter, would like to remind you that you also have no right to voice out / complain / grumble about all the recent fuel price, electricity tariff, increase in food prices, etc.

Why did I say that? Well, in a way you didn't exercise your right in telling what you wanted on 8 March 2008. So, your voice is being forfeited now till the next general election which is 5 years down the line. Cruel of me to say that to you, right? That's the fact. Mention this to those who did vote and they will agree with me.

Next time, go and vote.

And if you did vote, for whichever party, this is the end result because of your vote and you can shout out your grievances too. Permit granted!

Related post - Is Malaysia's Fuel Price Cheaper?
Tags: Fuel Price, Electricity Tariff, Petrol Subsidy, General Election, Political Tsunami, Voter, Malaysia

Lifetime Beer Supply for a Goal

An Austrian brewery company, Ottakringer Brauerei AG ("OBAG") , in motivating and hoping that it will spur their beer drinking football players, has offered this - lifetime beer supply if you score a goal in the Euro 2008.

The Austrian players must salivating over this extraordinaire support provided by the brewery company. May have a problem though. Every single Austrian players could be rushing towards goal. Does an own goal count?

Ivica Vastic has gotten the supply now since he scored a last minute penalty against Poland last night. Fantastic mate! OBAG's Chief Executive, Sigi Menz, said that he will personally send the first year's supply to the respective players(s). One more game to go against Germany and who else will join Ivica Vastic.

Yeah, only one more as I don't expect them to advance from the group stage. Next time then.
Tags: Ottakringer Brauerei AG, Beer, Lifetime Beer Supply, Sigi Menz, Ivica Vastic, Austria, Euro 2008

Friend's Flat Up For Sale

Friend's flat is up for sale as she's moving out. The said flat is located right behind the Swiss Garden Hotel, at Jalan Pudu. Just 3 minutes walk to the happening place at Bukit Bintang (the street where the government is turning into a shopping haven) and Jalan Alor (varieties of restaurants and hawkers).

It's right at the city centre with bus stops nearby with Pudu Raya within walking distance. Status of the land is freehold (you can verify further on this later).

The home is 1,100 square ft with balconies and comprise 4 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms and 1 toilet. A corner unit on the 1st floor and no maintenance fee is required to be paid (good in terms of rising cost everywhere).

As the home is located right behind the KL police heaquarters it's quite safe.
Selling price - RM260,000 (negotiable)
Tags: Flat For Sale, Kuala Lumpur, Swiss Garden Hotel, Jalan Pudu, Bukit Bintang