Shagadelica

Boodbye Blogspot, Hello Wordpress

2005-09-06T12:25:00.000+08:00

Dear Reader,
You may have noticed that we've stopped blogging for a while.

I'm pleased to inform you that we have not stopped blogging, or met with any blog-stopping misadventures. In fact, we've been migrating to word press & our own url.

Which is a long winded way of saying, click here to go to the new, shiny shagadelica.

e-Ah Long

2005-08-23T22:00:00.000+08:00

Following yesterday's entry, a little bird (doffs cap to jeff ooi) has introduced us to this little gem of a website.

Yes, that is a camel in a desert. Very apt for a site named WaterArea

waterarea.com styles itself as "your business classified portal" with a nascent directory of services categorised under Government, Property, Restaurant & Credit Company. All the categories have only a token number of advertisers except Credit Company which you will not be surprised to know is euphemism for a loan shark.

Here waterarea lists 8 Ah Longs, sub-divided into their various locales in Kuala Lumpur & Selangor. Each advertiser is provided with an online enquiry reply form where prospective customers fill in their name, tel no, e-mail, postal address & loan amount (only name & tel are compulsory fields, in contrast to some over eager marketers elsewhere).

There's even a listing for a Credit Consultant who specialises in assisting SMEs* to obtain "Loan on machinery project", presumably by directing these SMEs to the next Ah Long up the street.

As impressive as this effort is, this website seems to have not garnered any support from the government, IT bodies such as the MDC or any venture capitalists. This is a shame, as this is the sort of e-commerce/i-business/v-portal thing that this country needs to ensure that the rest of the country can make the great leap forward to join Selangor in being developed.

If anyone decides to obtains a loan from these Ah Longs, remember to mention shagadelica. Some of them pay commissions to introducers. Purchasing a comprehensive health insurance plan would probably be a good idea.

*Abbr. for: Small to medium sized business

Ah Longs advertising on NST.com.my

2005-08-22T17:00:00.000+08:00

While looking through the online version of NST, I found this advert in the highlights section of the front page.

Click Here for the img capture of the whole page.

Clicking on the banner takes us to Vault Credit Co, it informs us that this is the "online branding name" for Siang Wang Trading KL. A quick glance through Bank Negara's list of licensed banking institutions informs us that neither Siang Wang Trading or Vault Credit is listed as a licensed provider of credit in Malaysia.

To enquire about a loan, you can either contact them through e-mail to VaultCreditCompany@yahoo.com or calling "Mr. Alan" of Mr. Kenny" on their respective mobile phone numbers. Their interest charges are 12% for collateral secured loans 18% for unsecured loans. Its not mentioned whether these rates are per annum or otherwise. The main benefits of dealing with them are listed as No Collateral! No Guarantor! Easy Application! Fast Approvals! Low Interest Rates! & Full Confidentiality!

Is this an Ah Long* operation? If so, why is NST accepting advertisements for an illegal business on its website?

* trans. a loan shark

Make Over iPod Replacement Model

2005-08-21T13:23:00.000+08:00

In the last Shagadelica post "iPod Shuffle replacement model", I have highlighted the features, price and where to get an iPod Shuffle lookalike. In this post, I am gonna show you how to blow iPod Shuffle even more... no offence to Apple supporters, I got a Mac too. But doing this is fun! ;-)

To "enhance" the iPod Shuffle replacement unit, you gonna need:

1. Screw driver
2. Sharp pointy screw that can drill a 1.5mm hole
3. DLO Jam Jacket for iPod Shuffle (details)
4. A 2mm thick string (0.8 to 1.o meter long)

Instructions:
1. Drill two holes at the top corners of the USB cap.
2. Slide in the ends of the string through the holes and knot the ends
3. Pull the knots back into the cap to hide them.
4. Slip in the DLO Jam Jaket and walla! You got an really cool fake iPod Shuffle!

Cost:
1. Screw driver and screw: Free (get them from your daddy's tool box)
2. 2mm thick string: Free (just join a workshop/conference that comes with a tag with string)
3. DLO Jam Jacket: this one is tricky. The real one costs USD29.95 (for 3 in a pack). The fake ones (yes there are!) cost around RM20 each at local computer shops, but you can get them for RM20 (for 2 in a pack) during PC Fair.

So I spend RM20 to got 1 fake DLO Jam Jacket for the player and a spare.

Total cost of ownership of this iPod Shuffle wannabe with a spare jacket is:
RM290 (512MB player unit) + RM20 (2 in a pack fake DLO Jam Jacket) = RM310

Note: the reason why we need the jacket is due to the cheapo USB cab is not really tight and secured. It does not click and lock like the real iPod Shuffle. The jacket helps to hold the cap and player together. well...

Diaper sparks bomb alert

2005-08-19T01:00:00.000+08:00

Strange but true, Reuters reported the following:

BERLIN (16/08/05) - An "electronic nappy" used to monitor wetness sparked a bomb alert in a German post office when it arrived in a parcel ticking suspiciously, police in the southwestern city of Heilbronn said Thursday.

"They suspected it was a bomb so they put the package into an empty room and called the police," said a police spokesman. "It was supposed to respond to wetness with bleeping sounds but this one ticked."

Two squad cars rushed to the scene and immediately contacted the sender. Police gave the all clear after they contacted the woman who told them the intercepted package contained only a malfunctioning diaper.

Thailand has a cunning plan.....

2005-08-17T14:27:00.000+08:00

Thailand has cooked up a brilliant plan to solve the problems of its southern provinces. The cunning plan doesn't involve giving them independence or autonomy, nor does address the grievances Southern Thais have with the central government. The cunning plan is... get them to watch more TV.

Thailand is dishing out free cable television in its restive Muslim south in the hope that sports coverage such as English Premiership soccer will calm tensions in a region plagued by violence. Interior Minister Kongsak Wantana told reporters on Tuesday an initial batch of 500 televisions would soon be installed at village tea shops so those who could not afford cable TV at home could all watch their favourite sports together.

Source: Reuters

All I can say is... utterly brilliant. Couch potatoes don't fight. To paraphrase Marx, Football will be opiate of the Southern Thai masses.

For those in Malaysia deprived of the EPL because of Astro's monopoly, the Thais have shown you the way to get free to air Premier League.

In a developed state... (1)

2005-08-15T17:20:00.000+08:00

In conjuction with the impending achievement of Selangor as a developed state sometime this month, we at shagadelica intend to run a feature called "In a developed state". The idea being that we celebrate this pioneering achievement by showcasing images of Selangor's development.

In a developed state....

...we use red plastic chairs to alert motorists of roadworks.

Location: Petaling Jaya, Section 5
Date: 13 August 2005

We would like to invite all three of our regular readers to submit your own photos on the same theme to help us celebrate this great achivement.
Send your photos to

Briged Penyelamat Sungai: Betul ke ni Ibu Endon?

2005-08-14T22:15:00.000+08:00

I hope that after this "Rencana Khas" (look like a paid advert by Puncak Niaga from the way things are presented)... Our Ibu Endon will realise that the Selangor river (link #1, #2) has already been sacrificed for supplying water to Selangor and another one in Pahang is going to be dammed for the same purpose despite the fact that the inhabitants of KL use a few times as much water as the inhabitants of London, industry poaches water on a large scale from the scarce drinking-water supply and pollutes the vulnerable rivers, leaky water pipes causing more than 30% of the drinking-water seeps unused into the soil.

Tiger cubs for eating

2005-08-12T11:30:00.000+08:00

Does this look like food to you?

Pic from The star

The Star reports that the Malaysian trade commissioner to Papua New Guinea Datuk Dr S.H. Foo has paid a Chinese restaurant in Kuala Lumpur over RM10,000 to buy a (about) 3 month old tiger cub that was destined for the wok.

The weak & dehydrated cub had been caught by villagers in rompin who then did the natural thing of selling it to the restaurant for profit.

Foo said he contacted the Wildlife Department in Cheras, Kuala Lumpur, on Tuesday to come get the tiger but was told to go to its office and fill up forms instead. He then sought help from a journalist who helped him to send the cub to the department.

The Star

Now its a fact that tigers aren't the most popular of animals with us simians or with most denizens of the forest, but really people, is there a need to eat them? It is noteworthy that the chief role of the Wildlife Dept in Cheras isn't to care for wildlife but to prcess forms. There seems to not be any plans for follow up action like procsecuting the restaurant & the villagers for trafficking in an endangered species or for the Dept to educate villagers on the correct course of action upon the discovery of such animals.

Non-Haze post: killer boom gates

2005-08-11T17:00:00.000+08:00

While walking around KLCC on the weekend (i.e. BH*), I spied this sign

What is the message?
Danger! Headless footballers, or Danger! mind the boom gates sharp enough to decapitate?

*BH - Before haze

Prophetic words about the haze

2005-08-10T15:27:00.000+08:00

The Darkness has begun. There will be no dawn. Candles were lit in the chamber, for only a dim twilight came through the windows; the air was heavy...

When JRR Tolkien wrote these words in The Return of the King, was he writing a fantasy tale about the impending attack of Sauron's forces on Minas Tirith or the haze in KL?

Source: Jürgen Hösch

If as Tolkien prophesied, the haze is cover for the minions of Sauron to attack under darkness, who is Sauron & what evil scheme is the haze hiding?

Haze information, NO thanks to the Govt

2005-08-10T10:20:00.000+08:00

Najib says that the Government has no plans to make the Air Pollution Index (API) public.
Well screw that, here are a couple of sites with current haze information.
1. Links to satellite imagery on hotspots, haze, etc. from the caring & sharing Singapore National Environment Agency.
2. Updated Visibility (km) For Meteorological Stations in Malaysia from Jabatan Kajicuaca.
As of 0900, visibility at the Klang Valley stations is down to 0.5 km in Subang, 1 km in Petaling Jaya & 1.5 km at KLIA.

Are these visibility statistics from Kajicuaca an indication that the present level of haze is bad for health?
Consult your doctor, or your taxi driver or God. Your elected Government is telling you fuck all.

Shag Flog: The laksa in Bangsar

2005-08-09T20:50:00.000+08:00

Continuing with our series of Shagadelica Food Blogs, today we review the best Sarawak Laksa this side of the South China Sea. The stall operates out of Nam Chuan coffee shop in Lucky Garden, Bangsar.

Besides the signature laksa, this stall also serves Abacus (a yam-based chewy cold dish topped with bean sprouts, pork mince & lots of white pepper powder), pepper pork stomach soup, herbal chicken soup & kachama (a dark soupy herb & chicken concoction). As you can see from the photo, it has been reviewed by several newspapers including this review from The Sun.

Back to the laksa
The laksa has all the right elements for a good laksa:- ingredients (notice the large prawns), colour & presentation & it doesn't disappoint. The fist thing you notice about this laksa is the scent, it draws you irresistibly to the dish. Pause for a moment to savour it. Then as the first mouthful of laksa coated rice noodles is consumed, the unique spicy flavour of the broth explodes in your mouth.
Rating: 5/5. This is laksa the way it should be made. On some days when the broth is done just right, the prawns are fresh & the weather is not too hot, consuming this laksa is almost a religious experience.

The basics
Where: Kedai Makanan Nam Chuan, Jln Chenderai, Lucky Garden, Bangsar.
When: Morning to afternoon, open on most days & definitely on weekends
How much: Under RM4

PJ, we got a hazy problem...

2005-08-07T01:41:00.000+08:00

Took a photo about about a month ago at a balcony in Section 17, PJ... It was such a lovely night view of PJ. But last night, I was horrified by the same picture taken at different time and I could "smell" the difference...

Google is hiring! Wanna be a chef?

2005-08-06T01:27:00.000+08:00

This is something that even Google cannot google. They are actually looking for chefs. Google had long employed the former cook for one of the world's most famous rock bands to keeps its employees well fed. The company launched a worldwide search on Thursday for two new chefs after its chef left in May to start his own restaurants. He got juicy stock options for being an early employee with Google.

Google wants its chefs to oversee menus "from vegan entrees to pad Thai, grilled burgers, and wood-fired pizza-all while using organic ingredients whenever possible." It would sponsor a cook-off between its top four applicants before the two hires would start preparing offerings which in the past have included "sweet potato jalapeno bisque with corn" or "grilled petite New York sirloins seasoned with Creole spices."

The ultimate home entertainment IQ test

2005-08-04T23:29:00.000+08:00

Do you know a DLP from a CRT? Can you explain the difference between component and composite cables? And what exactly is Blu-ray, anyway? Are you up to speed? Take PCWorld challenge and find out!

1. You want a TV set that's going to last until the kids go off to college. You should definitely buy an ____.

(A) HDTV (B) EDTV (C) SDTV (D) SCTV

2. Complete the following statement: "Compact discs are dead. The next generation of recorded music will use ____."

(A) DVD Audio-DVD-A (B) Super Audio CD-SACD (C) Both

3. The back of your audio-video TV sports dozens of multicolored ports, each one requiring a different kind of cable. But for the very best-looking picture, you should always use this type of connection:

(A) Component (B) Composite (C) S-video (D) DVI (E) HDMI (F) Er, um, hmm

4. If you want a television set with the absolute best picture quality, you should buy a high-end _____.

(A) Plasma (B) LCD (C) Rear projection DLP (D) Front projection LCD (E) CRT

5. The most common setup for a surround-sound home theater is _____.

(A) 5.1 (B) 6.1 (C) 7.1 (D) 99.1 on your FM dial

6. Your home entertainment system may use several different wireless technologies. Can you identify them? Select as many as may apply.

(A) Infrared (B) WiFi (C) Bluetooth (D) UWB (E) AWB

7. Complete the following sentence: Betamax is to VHS as HD-DVD is to _____.

(A) Bluetooth (B) Blu-ray (C) Cathode ray (D) Stevie Ray

8. You're shopping for a digital music player. Which of the following acronyms is not something you want to look for?

(A) WMA (B) AAC (C) MP3 (D) DRM (E) RIAA

9. You want high-quality, static-free radio that you can listen to as you drive to work. You should definitely choose _____.

(A) Satellite radio (B) High-Definition radio (C) Radio Free Europe

10. The single most important factor in your next major home entertainment purchase is _____.

(A) The dimensions of the room
(B) The width of the screen
(C) The wattage rating of the amplifier
(D) The number on the price tag
(E) The depth of your spouse's disapproval

Answer: 1.A 2.C 3.F 4.E 5.A 6.A,B,C&D 7.B 8.E 9.A orB 10.E

Scam watch: Bogus Irishmen III- The plot thickens

2005-08-01T23:40:00.000+08:00

More on the Bogus Irishmen a.k.a. Irish International University & its fellow Irish institution, Cambridgeshire University.

NST asks the question

Were there hidden hands in the Higher Education Ministry and the Public Service Department (PSD) helping bogus universities operate in the country?

It then goes on to say

It has letters from the Higher Education Ministry and PSD stating that degrees from Cambridgeshire University were recognised by the Government. (Claim 1)
It has copies of cheques issued by EPF in 2003 to pay for tuition fees for Cambridgeshire University under its Education Withdrawal Scheme. (Claim 2)
It has seen a PSD letter dated 1999 stating that Master of Business Administration (MBA) and Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) degrees from Irish International University were recognised by the Government. (Claim 3)

What is the Minister of higher education's response?
Response to Claim 1:

Dr Mohd Shafie said the claim made by Cambridgeshire University was on their short courses, which did not amount to recognition as short courses did not need approval from the authorities because participants were usually awarded a certificates of attendance only. Furthermore, the courses were approved on the basis they would be conducted on tutorial basis only, he said.

Something doesn't add up. If the NST says it has letters of "approval for degree courses" but the Ministry only sent letters of "no approval required for short courses" either NST needs to learn how to read, Cambridgeshire is forging Govt of Malaysia official correspondence, or the Ministry of Higher Education uses very loose language in its official letters.

Reponse to Claim 3:

Touching on the letter from JPA to a query about the equivalent of the MBA and Ph.D from the Irish International University, he said the letter only merely stated a principle applied by the department that post-graduate qualifications were recognised on the condition that a person held a bachelor's degree recognised by the government.

Again this isn't a very satisfactory answer.
Is the academic history of the student the only criteria looked at by the dept when deciding the legitimacy of post-grad degrees? This would mean that an IIU MBA is legit if the student has a BA but a UPM MBA is not if the student didn't complete their BA.
Is the ministry acting responsibly when it chooses to cop-out from giving a proper answer (by stating a general principle) when faced with a specific question (on the status of IIU MBAs & Ph.Ds)?
Does the Ministry refer to university lists such as the International Association of Universities list of legit universities before shooting of glib answers?

Considering the recent controversy over the recognition of Medical degrees from CSMU, the Minister's answer & his Ministry's cavalier attitude is rather perplexing.

If I were keeping score, it would be NST 1-0 Ministry of Higher Education.

Malaysians: HIV/AIDS? Apa tuh?

2005-08-01T17:18:00.000+08:00

No sex please, we're Malaysians....

A survey by Universiti Putra Malaysia assoc prof Lekhraj Rampal has found Malaysians to be alarmingly ignorant about how HIV/AIDS is transmitted.

Among the findings of the survey (sample size = 18,805 respondents aged 15 and above)
1. 60% believed or were unsure if a mosquito bite could give them HIV
2. 40% thought a healthy-looking person, a beautiful woman or a handsome man could not get infected
3. 48% did not know whether an HIV-positive woman could transmit the virus through breast-feeding
4. 56% believed HIV could be spread by sharing meals

Source

Scam watch follow-up: Bogus Irishmen with MSC connections

2005-08-01T00:30:00.000+08:00

Last week, I blogged about the Bogus Irish universities a.k.a. IIU & DMU. Since then the shit has really hit the fan (so to speak) & the perpetrators of IIU & another bogus education concern, Cambridgeshire University, have been exposed for the frauds that they are.

NST has really gone to town with the exposé publishing no less than 7 articles on the bogus Irish university since 18 July 2005. The story has been picked up internationally by the online version of Forbes magazine & The Times. The Star has steered well clear of the entire issue.

Again from the NST, the Minister of Higher Education has confirmed what everyone suspected, that IIU is bogus. As usual for the Malaysian approach to policy making,

The Higher Education Ministry... would review necessary laws to ensure such institutions did not operate in the country.

This includes amending laws to ensure institutions such as NetAcademy Sdn Bhd, "which are not bona fide educational institutions, from continuing to conduct educational programmes and award qualifications from dubious universities to the unsuspecting public".

This brings us to Net Academy S/B, an MSC status company who claim

By combining innovative technology with World-Class Universities,... Over 1000 online courses available, ranging from certificate, siploma, degree, MBA to to PhD programmes, in business & information technology as well as language courses.

The Multimedia Devt Corp (that's the Govt body that dishes out MSC status) has this on Net Academy:
Net Academy Research Sdn Bhd
Sector - Software Development - Engineering/Specialised Applications
Brief Activity: Research, design and development of an E-Learning Management software for the education industry
Year of approval: 2005
Contact: Dr. William Chong (CEO) Net Academy Research Sdn Bhd 25-1 USJ 9/5Q Subang Business Centre UEP Subang Jaya Selangor Darul Ehsan Malaysia
Tel : +603-8023 7058
Fax : +603 8023 9496
URL : www.netacademy.com.my

Meanwhile, over at technopreneurs.net.my, Net Academy is listed with the following information:
Technology Focus: Content Development
Products/service: electronic learning management system developer

Which raises the questions:
1. What is a education management/content software developer doing offering online education courses?
2. How does MDC approve applications for MSC status?
3. What sort of surveillance does MDC carry out on MSC status companies to ensure that they don't stray from their approved activities?

Hmm, MDC, MSC, funny business... sounds like something right up Jeff Ooi's alley doesn't it?

Shag Flog: Sarawak comes to Pandan Indah

2005-07-31T19:15:00.000+08:00

We've noticed that blog entries concerning Sarawak food at Sixth Seal & Makan Kings have been met with enthusiastic responses from Malayans. For those of you who are intrigued by Sarawak food but can't make it to Kuching for taster, the inaugural Shagadelica Food Blog presents this review of Sarawak fare available at Restoran T.T.T. @ 777 in Pandan Indah.

Sarawak food fetishist heaven!

This rather unassuming coffee shop has 3 stalls Sarawak food stalls, (do not adjust your monitor, you read that right! three Sarawak food stalls) serving Sarawak Laksa, Kueh Chap & Kolo Mee. Not that we were the first to notice this little corner of Sarawak in KL. The coffee shop displayed a review of the three stalls from a Chinese newspaper. Besides the Sarawak fare, the shop also other stalls serving more usual Klang Valley Chinese coffee shop food like umm... I can't remember to be honest.

How does it taste you ask?

Laksa (stall A)
The laksa has all the right elements (ingredients, colour & presentation) but tastes poor as main ingredient, the soup base, is thin & tasteless. Maybe they were short of laksa paste this week.
Rating: 1.5/5. Imagine being lost in the Sahara for a week & suddenly seeing an oasis. That is to say, partake only if you are very, very desperate.

Kolo Mee (stall C)
This kolo mee has excellent noodles, just how make them in Kuching & once you get that right, the rest is easy. This is kolo mee is highly recommended. Note the reddish hue of the noodles compared to the the normally white coloured noodles. This is BBQ pork dripping & they will add this to your kolo mee if requested. It makes the kolo mee simply perfect.
Rating: 5/5, excellent, perfect, munch, yum.......

Kueh Chap (stall B)
Save for the wrong type of rice cake (this stall uses kueh teow rather then the chunkier kueh) this dish has all the ingredients of a good kueh chap, including all the assorted pig spare parts. Taste wise, its just like how they make them in Kuching, albeit a bit too salty for my taste (or for most people's tastes for that matter).
Rating: 3.5/5 perfectly acceptable & a hell of a lot cheaper then even the cheapest Air Asia return ticket to Kuching.

The basics
Where: Restoran T.T.T. @ 777 on Jln Pandan Indah 4/1 (off Jln Pandan Makmur). Approximately opposite Fajar supermarket & Petronas.
When: Morning to afternoon, open on most days & definitely on weekends
How much: Under RM5, i.e. average KL coffee ~~chop~~ shop prices.

Next week, Shag flog reviews the best Sarawak Laksa in Peninsular Malaysia, bar none. If you know of any other Sarawak food places in Malaya & particularly in the Klang Valley that deserves the shag flog treatment, drop us a comment.

Economist Blames Aid for Africa Famine

2005-07-31T11:18:00.000+08:00

According to Associated Press, most of the 11 million people in Niger, Africa live on a dollar a day. Forty percent of children are underfed, and one out of four dies before turning 5. And that's when things are normal. The aid workers charged with saving the dying but they leave it to the economists and politicians to come up with a lasting remedy.

Economist, James Shikwati, the Kenya-based director of the Inter Region Economic Network, an African think tank, lamented that when aid money keeps coming, all policy-makers do is strategize on how to get more.

"They forget about getting their own people working to solve these very basic problems. In Africa, we look to outsiders to solve our problems, making the victim not take responsibility to change," said Shikwati.

Hmm… well, we do not have famine but something does sound familiar if you follow our local politics?

Cries of passion sparked rescue drama

2005-07-29T02:41:00.000+08:00

Reuters: A British couple who headed out to sea in a dinghy for an amorous liaison sparked a major rescue operation when their cries of passion were mistaken for someone in trouble, British police said Tuesday.

A passer-by raised the alarm after hearing strange noises coming from the waters near a beach in Torbay on the southwest coast of England Saturday morning, prompting the coastguard to send lifeboats and police to the scene.

"It was found that there was a partially-clothed couple in a small rubber dingy that were brought ashore and asked to put their clothes back on," a spokesman for Devon and Cornwall police told Reuters.

"Our log actually mentions that 'they were having fun in their boat!', but doesn't say anything other than that."

iPod Shuffle replacement model

2005-07-27T01:57:00.000+08:00

Introducing... LUXPRO. If you cannot afford an iPod Shuffle and still wanna make people think that you got one, this is the right portable music player for you.

It is more than an iPod Shuffle... Other than playing music and storing files, this replacement model can also tune into FM channels and act as a voice recorder.

Two models available: 512MB and 1Gb. Starting price RM290 and can be easily spotted in Low Yat Plaza, KL.

Scam watch: Vampires on the loose

2005-07-26T02:11:00.000+08:00

Reuters: An Italian couple stole 50,000 euros from a woman in the Sicilian city of Palermo after convincing her they were vampires who would impregnate her with the son of the Anti-Christ if she did not pay them.

The man, a cabaret singer, and his girlfriend took the money from their victim over four years by selling her pills at 3,000 euros each that they said would abort the Anti-Christ's son.

Police uncovered the fraud after the 47-year-old woman's family became concerned when they discovered she had spent all her savings, local news agencies AGI and ANSA reported.

Online hall of shame for traffic offenders

2005-07-25T16:46:00.000+08:00

Malaysia has set up an online hall of shame where the public can post pictures of traffic offenders as part of a campaign to instill discipline and safety on roads", the Mail & Guardian reports.

"The website, Pandu cermat, was launched on Tuesday and will be used to catch offenders who usually get away because of a lack of enforcement, said Transport Minister Chan Kong Choy.

Pandu cermat in the local Bahasa Malayu language means drive carefully. People can upload pictures of violators snapped with cell phones or digital cameras, Chan said.

"We will redirect the photos and details to the Road Transport Department or traffic police for action," he said.

It is not clear how the site administrators can identify doctored pictures or how officials will verify the authenticity of the shots.

Scam watch: Bogus Irishmen a.k.a. IIU & DMU

2005-07-25T10:40:00.000+08:00

Smile! You've been scammed!

This from Saturday's NST (via MGG Pillai)

Irish Ambassador to Malaysia Daniel Mulhall has called on the Government to take action against the Irish International University for committing deception by parading itself as an Irish university.

Firstly, let me declare my interest in the matter: I've known about IIU & another dubious Irish educational concern, Dublin Metropolitan University for a few years, primarily from various friends & acquaintances seeking my reaction to their choice of further education provider. Then as now, I've advised that that both "institutions" seemed dubious & were best to be avoided.

As usual for Malaysia, this issue cropped-up because a disgruntled student has lodged an official complaint, in this case with the Consumer Claims Tribunal. I'm curious as to how someone could've been tricked into thinking that either the IIU or MU could possibly be anything but bogus.

It took under 10 minutes of searching the internet to determine IIU & DMU are not bona fine education institutions. What this ape did was
Step 1: Google for irish universities
Step 2: Select the 6th link that says Home Page | Higher Education Authority | An tÚdarás um Ard-Oideachas
Step 3. Look around the HEA website (hint, the About page is usually a good place to start). As expected, the page informs that:

The Higher Education Authority is the statutory planning and development body for higher education and research in Ireland. The HEA has wide advisory powers throughout the whole of the third-level education sector.

Obviously, the HEA is the Irish equivalent of our LAN, & naturally you would expect that any bona fide Irish education institution would be registered with the HEA or at least known to them. As expected, the HEA has a page with links to higher education institutions in both the Republic & Northern Ireland. Not suprisingly neither IIU nor DMU are to be found on the HEA list.

Frankly, if a prospective student doesn't take the trouble to check up some basic facts on an institution they are going to study at, or to take the trouble to check with the relevant education authorities of the prospective university's home country, they deserve to lose every they paid to the scammers.
Start with dreams of an MBA, end up Certified as Gullible.

How the RM de-peg might effect stocks

2005-07-22T08:34:00.000+08:00

Following from yesterday's news, lets look at how managed float RM will effect stocks on Bursa Malaysia @ KLSE. Firstly, the overall consensus is that RM will appreciate against most currencies but that the actual quantum* of increase is uncertain. The Edge rightly points out that the early trading in the forex market might see the RM fluctuate in value as the market searches for a fair price for the RM. Over in KLSE, stock traders will take a somewhat longer term view of matters & deciding that given the assumption of significant RM appreciation in the medium term, what will the effect be on listed companies? This ape's seeing stone says

tourism stocks: inbound tourism stocks (e.g. hotels) might fall as Malaysia will become a more expensive place to visit, while outbound stocks (e.g. those listed travel agents with really big booths in MATTA fairs selling 7D/6N trips to China) will rise as foreign travel becomes cheaper for Malaysians.
transportation stocks: transport concerns, especially those who use a lot of fuel (like airlines) will rise as oil, which is priced in USD, will be cheaper.
stock of companies with large foreign currency debts but mostly local operations (eg. some utilities) will rise as their foreign denominated debts will become cheaper to repay using their locally earned RM.
stocks of companies selling imported goods (e.g. luxury good retailers) will rise as the cost of their materials will decline.
stocks of export producing companies will fall, as their products will become less competitive on the world market & their RM earnings of exports will fall.

For a stock trading prospective on the managed float, head over to Kuzco's blog. * amount. Here at Shagadelica, we love thesaurus.com

Disclaimer: This ape shall not be responsible for any financial losses arising from actions taken on the basis of the above message. This is not professional advice. You would be gullible to believe anything you read on a blog by an ape & silly in the extreme indeed to think even for a moment, that any legal action of that nature would be viewed with anything but utter contempt by a court of law.

Joke is on comedian after jailbreak stunt

2005-07-22T01:56:00.000+08:00

Reuters: A Thai comedian was left laughing on the other side of his face when he was arrested for a mock jailbreak in which he and another actor dashed onto a Bangkok bus handcuffed and wearing prison uniforms.

Police arrested Santi Meesaengchan, 37, after intercepting the bus and fined him 1,000 baht ($24) for "causing panic in public places" while pretending to be a prisoner on the run in Wednesday's made-for-TV prank.

The bus, carrying a mixture of actors and ordinary passengers, was equipped with a hidden camera to capture the reaction of members of the public, newspapers reported.

The verdict from the country's leading tabloid, Thai Rath: "Not very funny."

Ringgit moves to managed float

2005-07-21T21:49:00.000+08:00

As of about an hour ago, BNM has announced that the Ringgit is being unpegged from USD1 to RM3.8 & moving to a managed float regime. This follows China's decision to float the Yuan against a basket of currencies.

What is the likely impact of this move?
The RM is widely believed to be undervalued. The Economist's Big Mac Index & Starbucks Index estimates that RM is undervalued by between 25% to 55% against USD. However, its unlikely that the Ringgit will appreciate by that extent against the USD, even in the medium term.

So the best guess is that the Ringgit should appreciate steadily against all major (i.e. USD, Yen, Euro) & regional currencies as it has been dragged down, especially in recent months, by the steady depreciation of the USD. However appreciation will occur at a modest rate, as BNM will be keen to maintain exchange rate stability.

An appreciating Ringgit will be good for Malaysians with payments overseas (e.g. overseas students & companies with foreign currency denominated debts) & for consumers as there will be decreased pressure on prices, especially for imported goods. Don't expect prices to decrease (refer to the phenomenon of sticky prices). The next time your local mamak makan place cites diesel price hikes for increasing the price of your teh tarik, reply that the price of his imported sugar may have declined. Then, get up & go to another mamak who hasn't hiked his prices.

It will be bad for exporters who will see their products become less competitive overseas & get less RM for every Dollar/Euro etc. of goods sold, & for those Malaysians with assets denominated in foreign currencies (e.g. if someone owns an apartment in Melbourne) as the value of these assets will decline in RM terms.

As of 2230, FXstreet.com says that the RM appreciated against the USD.

If any of this doesn't make sense, you should've been paying attention to the teacher during those Asas Ekonomi classes.

Disclaimer: This ape shall not be responsible for any financial losses arising from actions taken on the basis of the above message. This is not professional advice. You would be gullible to believe anything you read on a blog & silly in the extreme indeed to think even for a moment, that any legal action of that nature would be viewed with anything but utter contempt in a court of law.

Highrise in Jakarta

2005-07-19T15:35:00.000+08:00

This is Jakarta. Took this when I visited Jakarta on a business trip and got a really cheap rate in J.W. Marriot (the hotel that kena bombed). This building is right next to J.W. Marriot. There were bomb checks and bag scanning everywhere I went...

I only had two days in Jakarta (mostly filled with meetings), but I could notice that the gap between the rich and poor is very obvious.

Who is the 'syaitan' on the banner?

2005-07-18T18:33:00.000+08:00

Two interpretations. One belongs to a small group. Another belongs to the 'greater' state. Who's right? Who's wrong?

According to The Star, there was a mob of about 30 people went on a rampage, torching structures and smashing vehicles and house windows within Ayah Pin's Sky Kingdom commune in Jerteh at 5am (18th July 2005). The mob also set fire to Ayah Pin's Pajero and smashed four other vehicles parked inside the area. According to witnesses, members of the mob were armed with parangs, sticks and plastic bags believed to contain petrol.

There was a bunch of people who held banners accusing Ayah Pin's intepretation as 'Ajaran Syaitan' outside the commune. So who is the 'syaitan' on the banner?

5 point system to identify terrorists

2005-07-17T22:42:00.000+08:00

I'd normally leave matters of current affairs & the media to the heavy weights of Malaysian blogging such as Jeff Ooi & the like. However, this matter seems to have slipped by completely unnoticed, compelling me to raise this issue of our times.

According the Chicago Sun-Times, Magdy Mahmoud Mustafa el-Nashar, the 33 year old Egyptian biochemist from Leeds University at the centre of investigations into the London bombing is
1. intelligent
2. quiet young man
3. came from a lower middle-class family
4. family invested large sums on his foreign education, & (here is the clincher)
5. was rarely seen talking to people

While the report itself doesn't state that these are the traits of terrorists, the fact that these points were raised at all would imply that they are indeed relevant to the transformation of normal, decent but somewhat shy young men into terrorists.

If this is correct (& I see no reason to doubt the journalistic work of the Sun-Times) its no surprise that there are so many terrorists around. Lets face it, intelligent, quiet, lower middle class, good boys are not a minor demographic group. Even amongst Malaysian bloggers, you'd probably find more than a few who fulfill all 5 criteria.

What then, is the takeaway message1 or the conclusion2?
Honestly, I can't decide. It is either quiet, good boy types are potential terrorists of that the Sun-Times is full of crap.

1. what management consultants say when they mean conclusion.
2. what the rest of us, those who believe the world would be a better place if all consultants were lined up against a wall & shot, would say when we mean conclusion.

Hillary Clinton: Have a "cup of hot coffee" = sex.

2005-07-17T11:50:00.000+08:00

Reuters reported that U.S. senators, Hillary Clinton and Joseph Lieberman, are incensed over pornographic content "hidden" in the popular video game "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas,". The content can be unlocked by using the "Hot Coffee" code modification widely available on the Internet. By installing the modification, gamers can have their drivers find different girlfriends in the game who will have a "cup of hot coffee" -- a euphemism for sex -- with them.

"The disturbing material in 'Grand Theft Auto' and other games like it is stealing the innocence of our children, and it's making the difficult job of being a parent even harder," Clinton said.

In calling for the Federal Trade Comission to launch an investigation, Clinton urged the commission to determine whether an AO rating (adults only) is more appropriate than the current M rating (mature) for the video game given this new sexually explicit content. She also requested that the FTC examine the adequacy of retailers' rating-enforcement policies.

Bo Andersen, president of the Video Software Dealers Assn., said Clinton's action went way too far. "Sen. Clinton is a fine lawyer and undoubtedly knows that her proposal is unconstitutional," he said in a statement. "The senator's proposal is politically savvy but will do nothing to help parents make informed choices about the video games their children play. In fact, by turning the voluntary video game ratings system into a cudgel of government censorship, Sen. Clinton's proposal ironically would likely lead to the abandonment of the ratings system."

Is Sharp's new LCD TV practical?

2005-07-16T23:20:00.000+08:00

At last, a way to end squabbles over which TV channel to watch without buying a second set. According to AP, Sharp Corp. Has developed a liquid-crystal display that shows totally different images to people viewing the screen from the left and the right. One person can be surfing the Internet, using the display as a PC screen, while another watches a downloaded movie or TV broadcast. It also works for watching two TV channels: One person can watch baseball while another watches a soap opera.

QUESTION 1: What if you sit right in front of the TV screen, not right, not left What would you see?

QUESTION 2: Would the TV provide non-interfering dedicated audio to the audience on the left and right side?

I see your liger & raise you a tigon

2005-07-15T10:03:00.000+08:00

Tuna's recent liger post got me thinking. If a male lion-female tiger hybrid is a Liger, would a male tiger-female lion hybrid be a Tion?

Thanks to wikipedia this insomnia inducing yet irrelevant question has an answer.

I quote

...tigon is the artificially bred hybrid of a male tiger and a female lion.
Tigons can exhibit characteristics of both parents: they can have both spots from the mother and stripes from the father. Tigons grow smaller than lions or tigers, due to the fact that they inherit growth-inhibitory genes from both parents; They appear "housecat-like".

Housecat like or not, this borneon tree dwelling great ape prefers his big cats where they are; on a continent far, far away.

Shoplifter apprehended due to bulky garb

2005-07-15T09:37:00.000+08:00

A shoplifter sweltering in more than 10 pieces of stolen clothing while summer temperatures soared toward 86 degrees Fahrenheit was apprehended by security guards in the Belgian city of Antwerp.

Belgian daily Het Laatste Nieuws reported Thursday that the woman, aged 24, had been arrested after guards at a sports clothing shop in the busy commercial heart of the city noticed her bulky garb.

When detained, she was found to be wearing a jogging suit, a sweater, four polo shirts, three T-shirts, four sleeveless tops, a pair of shorts and trainers, the newspaper said. (Reuters)

Sierra Safari Zoo: Liger (Lion + Tiger)

2005-07-14T01:38:00.000+08:00

From the biggest little zoo of the world, Sierra Safari Zoo presents Liger, the result of breeding a male lion with a female tiger.

There is no official scientific name, but it could be Panthera leo/tigris. It has stripes and spots. The spots are inherited from the lion parent even though adult lions do not appear to be spotted.

The liger is a hybrid cat that inherits most of the strengths of both parent species and is larger than either. If you haven't seen a liger before, come visit Hobbs to get a look at the biggest cat you are ever likely to have seen.

Minister chased by stray pigs while going for a jog

2005-07-13T01:01:00.000+08:00

UTUSAN Malaysia highlighted a “freak incident” involving Science, Technology and Innovation Minister Datuk Seri Dr Jamaluddin Jarjis.

He was chased by stray pigs when exercising near Teluk Cempedak on Sunday.

The report stated that the minister, who was staying at a hotel there, had decided to go for a jog.

“I saw what looked like a group of children looking for snails near the beach. However, when I went nearer, the 'group' turned out to be some pigs.

“The pigs came after me and I ran as fast as I could,'' he told the newspaper.

Two released from ISA

2005-07-12T16:43:00.000+08:00

Malaysiakini's two servers were finally released after being detained without trial for 2 and half years. The servers in question were detained for their involvement in the publication of an allegedly sedition letter written by a person using the pseudonym 'Petrof' and for refusing to devulge the true identity of the letter writer. The servers were detained in Bukit Aman as the nation's top interogators tried to 'turn them over' to confess to their crimes. Neither were allowed access to their lawyers, despite numerous pleas from the IT loving public and a worldwide "Save the Servers" campaign by Amnesty International.

It is not known what led to their sudden release. Did the servers finally squel? Did they agree to abstain from all publication work? Did the Home Ministry decide to heed the Parliament's call to release all detaines held more than 2 years? Or did the police finally concede defeat? Malaysiakini's tech team will be conducting a full diagnostics to determine the state of the servers and will report their findings to Suhakam, who have agreed to consider extending their purview to servers detained without trial.

Arm the phaser Scotty!

2005-07-12T00:59:00.000+08:00

This is NOT a bluff. According to AP, the U.S. military has explored a new kind of firepower that is instantaneous, precise and virtually inexhaustible: beams of electromagnetic energy. "Directed-energy" pulses can be throttled up or down depending on the situation, much like the phasers on "Star Trek" could be set to kill or merely stun.

Such weapons are now nearing fruition. But logistical issues have delayed their battlefield debut. The hallmark of all directed-energy weapons is that the target - whether a human or a mechanical object - has no chance to avoid the shot because it moves at the speed of light. At some frequencies, it can penetrate walls.

Since the ammunition is merely light or radio waves, directed-energy weapons are limited only by the supply of electricity. And they don't involve chemicals or projectiles that can be inaccurate, accidentally cause injury or violate international treaties.

Military officials also say more needs to be done to assure the international community that directed-energy weapons set to stun rather than kill will not harm noncombatants.

So Scotty, arm the phaser to stun mode! When are we gonna have a photon torpedo?

Save Bukit Gasing... again...

2005-07-11T01:19:00.000+08:00

Took these some weekends ago when I went for a hike with some friends at Bukit Gasing. I heard that the KL side will be cleared for housing development... That really sucks man! If you are staying in PJ or KL, you should help to keep this last piece of greenery. It is a hangout place for seasonal birds, a great hiking getaway... recreational and educational. Find out more.

Go green evangelicals!

2005-07-08T01:19:00.000+08:00

According to BBC, green evangelicals first hit the headlines in 2002, when Reverend Jim Ball launched a campaign called "What would Jesus drive?", claiming that gas-guzzlers are ungodly.

The 30-million-member National Association of Evangelicals in USA called on conservative Christians to "labour to protect God's creation". The "greening" of the evangelical movement has got to do with some biblical references to mankind's responsibility to care for God's Earth.

The repackaging of environmentalism under the banner of "creation care" makes it more acceptable to Republicans suspicious of the secular, liberal types who have dominated green politics in the past. NAE president Reverend Ted Haggard told BBC that new scientific evidence is raising concerns and, since we have so many evangelical Christians in government right now, we wanted to highlight that the environment is a worthy concern for evangelicals.

But not all Christian conservatives are happy about this new departure. Focus on the Family, which has been at the forefront of campaigns against abortion and gay marriage, says it cannot support "any issue that seems to put plants and animals above humans".

Christian or not... shall we all go green?

Everyone goes fitness crazy

2005-07-07T01:15:00.000+08:00

CNN: A fitness revolution is sweeping the Chinese capital Beijing, as more and more urbanites discover the need to ward off the flab, relieve stress and build self-esteem. Those who can afford the average US$50 monthly membership fee at a Beijing fitness center pump their bodies in group aerobics and one-on-one sessions with personal trainers. In China, 60 percent of fitness fanatics are women.

BBC: The world has gone fitness crazy. Every time you visit a gym, there seems to be a new type of fitness class added to the timetable. Gym's try to appeal to as many people as possible. When very few men were attending aerobic style classes they created boxercise so the class didn't sound too wimpy.

Are Malaysians joining the bandwagon? We have so many fitness centers popping up recently...

AP sniplets: Good Intentions Often Go Bad in Africa

2005-07-05T23:19:00.000+08:00

Africa is filled with good intentions that ended badly. Despite billions of dollars in aid, Africa has gone backward since the 1970s on every measurable level.

The countries who received the most aid during the Cold War now have the biggest problems, with Liberia, Sudan and what is now called Congo, topping the list. Aid is granted based on the relationship between a country's leader and the international donors, not on the ability of the nation to use the aid properly. Fortified with international support and aid, these leaders too often become more authoritarian because they control the nation's financial and natural resources.

Another criticism is that aid to Africa can benefit the donors as much as, if not more than, the recipients. When President Bush announced an additional $674 million in aid for Africa, $490 million was in the form of food. That money goes to U.S. farmers, who supply bags of grain to aid agencies for distribution.

Japan is also a major donor to Africa, but in fiscal year 2001, more than 60 percent of all grants required the purchase of Japanese products or services.

Chinese trade with Africa totals $30 billion a year, most of it in aid and investment by state-owned companies. The government makes no bones that the goal is not only to help the continent and shore up political alliances, but to help Chinese companies make a profit. As a result, China currently has a trade surplus with Africa.

Basically, you don't build societies by throwing money in. To make it worst, very little cash is actually spent on the continent, where it would boost local workers, producers and businesses.

Interplanetary guide to the universe

2005-07-05T02:32:00.000+08:00

Hold it... you need to know BM to go on...
- snip -
Harga diri wanita terlalu mahal... Kalau dibuat perbandingan dari segi harta dunia seperti intan dan berlian, ianya dibungkus dengan rapi dan disimpan pula di dalam peti besi yang berkunci. Begitu juga diumpamakan dengan wanita, Kerana wanita yang bermaruah tidak akan mempamerkan tubuh badan di khalayak umum...
- snip -
S A R S = SEVERE ACUTE RESPIRATORY SYNDROME = Suatu Alamat Rasulullah Sebut = "Penyakit Ganjil Akhir Zaman"
- snip -
Sedarkah kita akan maksud Pokemon dan maksud nama-nama watak kartun di dalam cerita tersebut?... POKEMON - saya yahudi; PIKACHU - jadilah seorang yahudi...
- snip -

Interplanetary society for the stupid

2005-07-04T11:39:00.000+08:00

With hundreds of thousands of members, ranging from Presidents to Part Time Baxi Boiler Pilot Lights there is sure to be many who share your particular pointless hobbies and pastimes in this society called notMensa.

Take the online IQ test, and see if you'll able to qualify for a lifetime membership. You can even test the IQ of your dog, cat, budgie or other loved pet. Take a spell test or join the ongoing debates on what's true and real. There are lots of fun acitivities waiting for you at notMensa!

When holidaying on the Côte d'Azur, watch out for the dognappers

2005-07-03T13:52:00.000+08:00

Ralf Schumacher's pet chihuahua has been kidnapped, he revealed on Friday.
Says Ralf
"We vere in St. Tropez for a few dayz and it's quite frequent, zhey nick dogs and try to zell them back to you. Sometimes zhey hold it to ransom, it's zee first guess we have at zee moment. It happens out zhere very often. It waz a lovely dog and let's hope ve get it back."

More Here

Pontianak Kembali @ Return of the Pontianak

2005-07-02T01:52:00.000+08:00

Perhaps the most famous, scariest and violent ghost in Malaysian culture. Primarily, the Malays believe that it originates from the spirit of a still born child, women who died giving birth, women who were killed by the pontianak or women whose spirits were captured by them. The phrase "Pontianak" was believed from the acronym of "Perempuan Mati Beranak"1. After such deaths, precautions are taken to prevent the deceased from rising from the dead.

Want to know how a pontianak kills? There are a series of movies that you can watch for reference. The Pontianak fever swept through Malaysia in late 50's and 60's. We got Pontianak (1957), Dendam Pontianak2 (1957), Sumpah Pontianak3 (1958), Anak Pontianak4 (1958), Pontianak Kembali5 (1963), Pontianak Gua Musang (1964), Pusaka Pontianak6 (1965).

I'm not sure if Pontianak (1975) is a remake of the 1957 one but we heard no more of Pontianaks since then till recently. Last year, we had Pontianak Harum Sundal Malam7, and on screen now is Pontianak Menjerit8. Let's welcome back the Pontianaks!

loosely translated as 1. Women who died while giving birth, 2.Pontianak's Revenge, 3. Curse of the Pontianak, 4. Child of Pontianak, 5.Pontianak Returns, 6. Pontianak's Inheritance, 7. Nocturnal Fragrant Pontianak Whore, 8. Pontianak Scream
Makes you wonder if Hollywood has been mining classic Malay horror flicks for movie titles

Mega Sale in Subang Jaya

2005-07-01T18:25:00.000+08:00

Attention all shopaholics!
Mega Sale is starting a month early in Subang this year with special discounts of up to 70% on all items.
Queston is, will shoppers be tempted to buy now or wait till the nationwide megasale?

Worst Car of the year : Proton Gen.2

2005-07-01T15:41:00.000+08:00

Believe it or not... this review is published here for the AutoZine Awards 2005. Have a look for yourself.

Cutest face of the year?

2005-06-30T22:30:00.000+08:00

This photo was taken when I visited an Orang Asli village in Gombak last Sunday. With the help of Picasa2 (the free Google photo manager with many iPhoto features), it turned out to be quite well.

Petronas posts record profits

2005-06-30T17:33:00.000+08:00

Malaysian oil firm Petronas said Thursday its net profits rose 50.3 percent in the year to March to a record 35.56 billion ringgit (9.35 billion dollars) due to spiralling oil prices. Please read on... and our petrol price is going up...

*Whatever you may think, this post has absolutely, totally utterly no connection to the previous post.

Impending fuel price increase

2005-06-30T17:24:00.000+08:00

The Star article today Petrol prices may very well go up again has triggered speculation that the price of petrol &/or diesel will be raised again soon. The official reason given is that the recent increase in world petroleum prices (RM 228 per barrel on 20 June) is putting a strain on the Govt's budget as the fuel subsidy grows ever larger.

In 2004, fuel subsidies cost the govt about RM 10 billion in fuel subsidies & forgone taxes.

Selangor is developed?

2005-06-21T16:20:00.000+08:00

Khir Toyo, the Selangor MB says that the state is now " developed" taking its place alongside the first world economies such as the US, UK, Germany, Japan, Belgium, etc.
This is news to you? Says so right here, direct from the horses mouth.