Ways To Impress in Renovation

I did a rough estimation on my renovation costs my new house which is expected to be released with the key and certificate of fitness altogether by next month. Looks like it's going to explode way beyond what I had expected.

Certainly need to delay and hold certain brilliant ideas of mine and forego certain items I have dreamt of having.

Thought of getting a professional Interior Designer but to my dismay, their quotes (approached three so far) right upfront put me off ............ RM8,000, RM10,000 and RM10,000.

Have gotten quotes from Rowenta Kitchen (based in Cheras) and Artset Design Sdn Bhd (based in Dataran Sunway) for my wardrobes, kitchen and various carpentry works which don't they come cheap at all. Am waiting for a family-owned business, Snaider Furniture (M) Sdn Bhd (based in TTDI), to provide me with the same quotes.

Awaiting three other contractors who would only provide me with the quotes when I get my house key.

When I saw the pictures below, I couldn't stop laughing. Some people do go great length just to give a good first hand imporession and it gave me a great ideas ........................ haha
Tags: Interior Designer, House Renovation

Join My Flight To Amsterdam

Always keen to travel? KLM Airlines has started a contest where you get to invite your friends to flock into the same plane. If that plane fills up really fast, that plane of yours will really fly off with you in it. Read more about it by clicking the "Join my plane" seen at the sticker below .....

Tags: Amsterdam, Holland, Europe, KLM Airlines, Fill A Plane

Respect Mercy Malaysia

I really have respect for those volunteer doctors that went into Gaza amidst the bombings from Israel front. They are the people that put words into action rather than just talk / protest / ridicule about it at their home sweet home here.

Through the persistency of Datuk Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, MERCY Malaysia was set up to provide medical care to people who need it be it locally or internationally. And their team was there when Gaza was bombarded by Israel.

Not only that they tried to provide medical assistance but now they are having a long term plan which is to build a rehabilitation centre that will cater to those war victims that have lost their limbs. The set up may require US$1 million (money involved politics could build mega hospitals).

This posting is dedicated to the MERCY Malaysia team members who risked their lifes to ensure others have a life.

Reading: Mercy aims to build rehabilitation centre - Star
Tags: MERCY Malaysia, Datuk Dr. Jemilah Mahmood, Gaza

Teachers Caned For Poor Exam Results

My thoughts have been that the Malaysian schooling system was quite exam oriented and schools / parents would ensure that their kids obtain good results that would bring honour to the school's name and parents would be proud of their children.

Schools that produces good results will bring honour to the staff (teachers) that sacrifices their time to bring the best out of the kids. But what if the students didn't do well. What if the results were worst than last year's examination.

Teachers, you can consider yourself lucky for being born and able to teach in Malaysia itself.

If your cschool's students didn't perform well or having all the students to pass their exams, you will be in great problem if you were in Tanzania, a nation in the African continent.

Nineteen teachers from three schools in the northern region of Kagera, Tanzania have been hauled up to explain on why their schools' examination results were poor.

Some of these nineteen teachers were late for classes or didn't show up for work during the past year that could be counted and the "little napoleon" found in District Commissioner, Albert Mnali, decided to take things into his own hands. He decided that such teachers should be caned for it was their lateness or absence that had caused students to have learnt lesser and as a result of that, the bad examination results.

Albert Mnali brought policemen to the schools to hunt for those teachers. A female teacher will only get caning on her palm. But I pity the male teachers for they have lie down on the floor to be caned on their backside.

The Tanzania Teachers' Union will be taking legal action against Albert Mnali for such uncalled for actions.

Reading: Shock as Tanzania teachers caned - BBC News/Africa
Tags: Tanzania, Africa, Kagera, Teacher, Albert Mnali, Tanzania Teachers' Union

People Can Hear What You Say

I was barely sitting down when I heard a voice from the other stall saying: 'Hi, how are you?'

I'm not the type to start a conversation in the restroom and I don't know what got into me, but I answered, somewhat embarrassed, 'Doin' just fine!'

And the other person says: 'So what are you up to?'

What kind of question is that? At that point, I'm thinking this is too bizarre so I say: 'Uhhh, I'm like you, just traveling!'

At this point I am just trying to get out as fast as I can when I hear another question. 'Can I come over?'

Ok, this question is just too weird for me but I figured I could just be polite and end the conversation. I tell him 'No..I'm a little busy right now!!!'

Then I hear the person say nervously... 'Listen, I'll have to call you back. There's an idiot in the next stall who keeps answering all my questions.

Cell phones, don't you just love them.

Tags: Cell Phone, Mobile Phone, Handphone, Funny, Humour

Once Rich Becomes More Greedy?

Once a person reaches certain higher status, more options or avenues were opened to them in gaining more financial rewards or even to boost their personal egos .......... sometimes legal, sometimes illegal. Is this a myth?

It does happen to me too ...... once you have more money, your mind tends to float higher and the thoughts of wanting this and that becomes real. The 'want' overruled the 'need'.

Unfortunately, someone couldn't control that thought.

Satyam Computer Services Limited's ("Satyam"), founding Chairman, Ramalinga Raju has been implicated in a scandal where he manipulated Satyam's profits and reserves up to an amount of US$1 billion. He has quit as of now. What a letdown. After bringing Satyam (since 24 June 1987 ) to where they are right now, an intellectual person has to commit such fraud.

For what reason? To show his peers that his company is capable of generating more profits and reserves in the IT industry?

Satyam is already employing 53,000 ++ people and operating in 66 countries ...... how can those inflated profits and reserves help even more in this case?

One thing that baffles me is how did the external auditors, PricewaterhouseCoopers India, missed out or unable to detect those fraud. As a result, the India government would be investigating the auditors' duties and the directors' roles.

Whoever recommended Satyam for the 2008 Global Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance by World Council For Corporate Governance ("WCFCG") must be hitting his head against the wall. WCFGG may revoke the award (read here) amidst the fraud case.

Will Ramalinga Raju's Ernst & Young's 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year award be revoked for this fraud case? The juries in India for the award must be scratching their heads now ....... to revoke or not?

Such prestige status, all down the drain.

Reading: India IT boss quits over scandal - BBC News/Business
Tags: Satyam Computer Services Limited, Satyam, Ramalinga Raju, PricewaterhouseCoopers India, IT Industry, Ernst & Young, Ernst & Young's 2007 Entrepreneur of the Year, Corporate Governance, World Council For Corporate Governance, WCFCG, Fraud

New Proton MPV in Factory

The hot item in the local car industry ....... the latest MPV in town which is to be released by Proton Holdings Berhad.

Six colours available for the customers to choose? Just wait and see.

One of those test car being used for various tests before putting it on the road for the public. The MPV's name has yet to be announced and I'm wondering whether the name will be chosen from the 'name the car competition' that was held last year.




Interior will somehow look like this unless Proton is willing to spend large amount of money to change this facade.














How do you like the design?

Related post - Proton's Latest Model?
Tags: Proton MPV, MPV, Proton Holdings Berhad