Monday, April 30, 2007

Things that make me go wtf

There are some things I just don't get.

You get a group of Mat Rempits, attempt to rehabilitate them by promising the ride of a lifetime, provide training while they give up their bikes temporarily, and send them to the North Pole for a skydiving trip into the record books.

And by spending hundreds of thousands of ringgit no less (and I wonder who's the sponsor for this gang of Umno Putera rempits?)

All in the hopes that 'other Mat Rempit out there will look to these youths and change their behaviour and attitude for the better'.

Wtf???

FYI, my take on these band of retarded, handle-bar wielding morons is perfectly put in words here.

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Let's say you and a few friends decide to have a little picnic at a scenic garden, quite a distance away from your homes. To have this picnic, you need a basket to keep all the food in so that you won't have a difficult time transporting the food.

Now, all of your friends have their own baskets, but no one volunteers to use theirs. So out of good will and not wanting to complicate matters, you offer your basket so that everyone can put their food in. So now everyone is happy and content and the basket is full of delicacies.

But due to some unexpected circumstances in the last minute, you are forced to pull out of the gathering. Hence, you keep your own food in case you get hungry at home.

However, no ones mention about the basket, YOUR basket. Let's just assume for a while here that baskets are an important part of your fictitious life, a valuable object that is absolutely essential to you. In this case, would you:

a. Take back your basket with an apology that you can't make it?

b. Keep your silence and let them just use the basket?

c. Apologise that you can't make it, and offer your basket for your friends' perusal?

Of course, most people would pick (a) for an answer. But let's say your are such a nice friend that BFF was a term specifically coined for you and you have (c) as a choice. So you personally send the basket to your friends' house, instead of having them pickup what they need for the picnic that you won't be going to.

To summarise, you're not going to the picnic, you're not obliged to offer your basket, your friends don't say anything about someone offering a basket, you end up offering your basket, and you don't go to the picnic.

Wtf???

(It's a lousy metaphor, so don't worry if you don't get it)

thought completed at 3:55 PM | 1 comments

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Friday, April 27, 2007

Now and then

Then...

Night view from D'aman Ria

Now...

Sunset at Ara Damansara

I'm afraid I'll get so used to the convenience of staying around here I won't budge when the time comes.

thought completed at 4:00 PM | 1 comments

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Wednesday, April 25, 2007

IWK: Full of sh*t?

Came across an interesting piece of news today.

Our Natural Resources and Environment Minister (heck, I didn't know there was such a ministry, shows how ignorant I can be when it comes to environmental issues...or are they not doing enough to attract attention?) reported that the main polluter of rivers in Peninsular Malaysia was our very own number one sewage management company, IWK.



Source: The Star

"Ninety one percent of pollution of rivers in the country is from inadequately-treated sewage," we were told.

Does it come as a surprising statement following all the 'we're-environmental-friendly' advertisements IWK has been placing in our local dailies lately?

Source: IWK website

Are the ads just a ploy to make us pay up our bills? So that they can reap all the profit and get away with improper dumping of waste?

Or is it just a spat between ministries / ministers? According to IWK's website, it is 'a wholly-owned company of the Minister of Finance Incorporated'. Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment vs Ministry of Finance?

A load of questions to be answered while our country gets loaded with shite.

Technorati tags: IWK, indah water

thought completed at 9:39 PM | 0 comments

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Tuesday, April 17, 2007

BHP Orange Run - 9km completed!

Seems like a long time since I've posted anything here, hope the cobwebs haven't got too dense :D

Anyway, I'm done with moving house. All our stuff have been moved to the new place, though it took us so darn many trips I forgot the number. Hard to believe I once arrived here carrying all my stuff with both hands.

Managed to have a little break from all that moving last Sunday, when me and a couple other colleagues participated in the Orange Run organized by BHP.

Gurl was the first to propose that we join the run, but due to the unfortunate circumstances she had to forfeit her participation. So it was all down to me and colleagues.

The total distance of the run would be 9km, which is like an astronomical number for non-runners like me. Well I do climb the stairs sometimes, but anything over 2km is a behemoth task I would choose not to partake.

We arrived at the Curve around 7 am, expecting few people since the registration would end at 7.30. But I guess when it comes to activities like this, no one likes to be late, unlike the typical Malaysia style. The place was already crowded with people, stretching and warming up, all ready to go.

I was surprised at the attire most people turned up in. Thinking it would be nothing more than a casual run, I went in a cotton t-shirt and basketball shorts. Many others though were fully equipped, clothed in synthetic dri-fit fabric and shorts that barely covered their hairy / milky thighs.

Most of them looked something like this picture below...

While we looked more like this.

Not forgetting those who were a little more creative in attire.

Well not that sexy but you get the idea. I also noticed the brands of running shoes these people came in. They are, in no particular order:

1. Nike
2. Adidas
3. New Balance
4. Asics
5. Leather boots (no kidding!)

The run was flagged off at 7.40 am. We started pretty well, running all the way for about 3 or 4 km. By the first 15 minutes, a few lady runners (who started 10 minutes later than us) started to overtake the lagging men's crowd. I tried to catch up but due to no previous training whatsoever, I seemed like a worn-out Proton trying to pass a sexy Porsche.

By the halfway mark, I was already gasping for breath. My legs were beginning to feel heavier and heavier by the second, and I resorted to short walks in between runs. The rather challenging route, littered with uphill climbs didn't make it easy either.

At the end, I gave a final burst of speed to pass the finish line in an hour and 15 minutes, ahead of the 2-hour qualifying mark. Not bad for a first timer eh. As a reward for completing the run under the qualifying time, we were given a backpack each.

I think the organizers did a pretty good job, considering the fact that registration was free. I certainly had fun there and so did my colleagues.

My legs are still aching now, and my knees are quite sore from the 75-minute hammering they got. Maybe I should at least have some training before participating in a run. Who knows, I might beat the 1 hour mark ;)

Technorati tags: bhp, orange run

thought completed at 9:57 PM | 3 comments

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Saturday, April 07, 2007

Moving house

I used to stay in a condo unit (I am still now), where parking bays were scarce and most of the time we had to park illegally on the road shoulder.

It's quite a nice place actually. High floor, nice view, with a swimming pool thrown in, plus quite a few other amenities. What I really dislike though is the lack of parking space, as many other condo/apartment residents would agree.

But that will be a story of the past in two weeks time. Finally we have found a nice place in a quiet neighbourhood to settle down for the next two years.

Will be moving house over the weekend and probably for the next few days after that. So, less posts until we have got everything moved and our broadband connection set up.

Cheerio people.

thought completed at 12:21 AM | 0 comments

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Wednesday, April 04, 2007

Passport received

After a half day wait at the Immigrations office, plus another half hour collecting it a few weeks later, I finally have my own international passport.



My last international passport expired like 10 years ago. Which means I haven't been to anywhere other than Singapore for the past 10 years. Not counting the Kelantan-Thai border of course (I wasn't trying to cross it illegally, I swear).

"These are to request and require in the name of the Supreme Head of Malaysia all those whom it may concern to allow the bearer to pass freely without let or hindrance, and to afford the bearer such assistance and protection as may be necessary."

This sounds like something Frodo would really need. Heck, with this printed on my passport, I feel as if I could go into Mordor to face big bad Sauron, alone. Imagine flashing this document to all the evil creatures and making them bow down in respect while making way.

Alas, it's a MALAYSIAN passport. Which will probably get you some suspicious looks at foreign customs and immigrations offices if you look just a tad more...you know, Arabian.

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Huh...been working for 14 hours today. Lazy to write on...better get me some rest.

Til then, adios.

thought completed at 11:35 PM | 3 comments

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Sunday, April 01, 2007

Thank you...and goodbye.

It's been a tough time for me lately. What used to be the creative spark that spurred me on in this journey of blogging has somehow turned into the very block that's preventing me from posting more frequently.

Since this whole new chapter of life started, it has been going nowhere but downwards. It had it's ups, but then usually what followed was a crash to the bottom that knocked me senseless. Work, life, nearly every aspect is in some form of disarray.

Phyiscally, fatigue never seems to leave me. This weariness I experience weighs me down, like a thousand ton ship sinking slowly, pulling its helpless passengers into the murky depths of the ocean.

I long to post, but most of the time, my mind turns up blank. I cannot seem to recall what has happened during the day, except for a flurry of office activity, life seems to be idling away.

Emotionally, I'm drained. Most of the time I just lie down and ponder, what is it that brought me into this troubled situation. Does the fault lie in other people? Or is it just me being stubborn and unwilling to change.

Answers to these questions, unlike mathematical equations, are hard to come by...

I used to be proud of being an engineer and blogger. But now, these two names are meaningless to me. I do realize that life goes on, whether in real-life or in cyberspace. Hence, it pains me to announce that I will stop blogging indefinitely, while looking for a new start to my life; a new career path for me to pursue.

Maintaining this blog has been a hell of a journey. My gratitude your support and the pleasure you have given me, knowing that someone actually follows this blog.

Thank you.....and goodbye.

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HAPPY APRIL'S FOOL, people!

Did I get you there? ;)

PS: I'm still very much alive, although some parts of the post are based on real sentiments. I've never done this before, hope it's not too late to pull a joke. Cheers!

thought completed at 9:55 PM | 0 comments

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