World No Tobacco Day

In today's world, it is not easy to find someone who doesn't smoke. Although my dad and my brother do not smoke, my friends who guys are mostly smokers. Heck, I even know women who smoke. I do not understand why people smoke, or drink for that matter. I have tried asking them and they tell me that because I have never done it before, I would not understand.

So there are many things I don't understand but I do know that smoking and drinking are bad for health. Why put your body through such abuse? Not only are you harming yourself, you are also causing harm to people who are close to you.

Today, 31st May, 2007, is World No Tobacco Day. Say No to cigarettes.

May 31 2007, is sponsored annually by the World Health Organization to call attention to the global health burden resulting from tobacco use. This year’s observance focuses on secondhand smoke and highlights the progress that has been achieved around the world in protecting nonsmokers by making workplaces and public spaces smoke-free.

The WHO says going 100% smoke free is the only answer.

Why go smoke-free?

Because…

* Second-hand tobacco smoke kills and causes serious illnesses.
* 100% smoke-free environments fully protect workers and the public from the serious harmful effects of tobacco smoke.
* The right to clean air, free from tobacco smoke, is a human right.
* Most people in the world are non-smokers and have a right not to be exposed to other people’s smoke.
* Surveys show that smoking bans are widely supported by both smokers and non-smokers.
* Smoke-free environments are good for business, as families with children, most non-smokers and even smokers often prefer to go to smoke-free places.
* Smoke-free environments provide the many smokers who want to quit with a strong incentive to cut down or stop smoking altogether.
* Smoke-free environments help prevent people – especially the young – from starting to smoke.
* Smoke-free environments cost little and they work!

If you see your friend smoking, snuff out his (or her) cigarette and let him know that today is World No Tobacco Day.

Getting Stressed Over Tax Returns

My sister called me up long distance frantically asking me if I know of any website that allows her to download the latest IRS tax forms. She has been offline for two weeks and just remembered that it's almost time to submit her tax returns.

I gave her the link to Free-IRS-forms.com and told her to print out the forms and to read through the website for tax guides and tips on preparing her submission.

Since my sister did not have internet access currently, she would have to go to the library to print the forms out. I'm glad that she could get all the tax forms and required reading all in one website. My sister told me that the librarian only allows free use of the computer for ten minutes each person. She definitely would not have enough time to search the internet herself.

However, with all the information available in one website, she managed to learn what she needs to better prepare her in the upcoming tax season.

The Days Of Relaxing On A Hammock

The other day, I was shopping at Jusco and they had a promotion on vacation. I saw them hanging a hammock tied between two stands and that brought back sweet memories of a long time ago when we went to the beach in Pangkor every school holiday. What great times we spent.

Our dad was a boy scout so he was very into camping and each time we were at the beach, he would set up a tent and never fail to put up a classic rope hammock. He loves relaxing on the hammock but I was always afraid of falling down because I don't know how to balance myself on it.

I eventually learnt how to and what an unforgettable experience it was being on it for the first time.

Did you know that there are many types of hammocks? To be frank, I did not until I chanced upon HammocksRock.com. There are hammocks made of polyester and canvas but the most comfortable, hence most popular are cotton hammocks.

If you have never tried relaxing on a hammock before, you should! Nothing beats the feeling!

There's Something Wrong With Blogger

I don't know if other Blogger users have noticed this glitch. Since the day Blogger introduced the new feature of auto saving a post much like Gmail's compose, I have been having trouble with the Word Verification.

Well, my Blogger blog has slapped with the word verification every time I need to publish or even edit my post. It must be because I have published too many posts daily that Blogger placed this measure in case I am spamming.

I read that we could write in to the people at Blogger to request for removal and they will come and check our blogs to see if it is a real blog or a link farm and if everything is in order, they will lift that verification. While I think it is a hassle to have to verify my post each time, I didn't think it is that serious that I have to write in for removal.

Anyway, after the auto-save feature, I now have to verify TWICE before I am allowed to publish or edit my post. Somehow, I am always told that my text is WRONG the first time and I would be prompted to type in the letters exactly as they are shown. BUT I DID TYPE IN EXACTLY!

GGGrrrrrrrrr

Let's Talk About … Car Insurance

As you may have read in a couple of post this past week, I am considering buying a car. However, my friend told me that my budget planning is wrong because I did not take into account car insurance, road tax, maintenance and gas bills!

My friend told me that car insurance is on the rise because everyone he knows is paying higher car premiums than they normally did. The bad news is that premiums will continue to rise.

My sister has confirmed this and come to think of it, the premium for my dad's car is higher this year. How come I did not question that earlier?

However, to offset this, my friend said that if I were to purchase a car insurance policy from my current insurance provider for my house, life and health policies, I will be eligible for a loyalty bonus which means a lower cost of my cover. It seems that loyalty pays with motor insurance. This sounds great!

My friend told me that some insurance companie shave implemented insurance schemes where they charge motorists based on the distance they drive, with premiums starting at a penny a mile. I don't know how well this will be received but it sounds like a bad deal for motorists.

Does that mean I can't buy my dream car now? :-(

Kancil + MyVi = Viva

Have you seen the latest Viva on the road? I'm not talking about those on display in showrooms because somehow they look different when they are moving on the road. Did you notice or is it just my eyes?

Anyway, one zipped past my house the other day and I managed to catch a glimpse of it. Well, what does it look like? In my opinion, it’s a cross between second generation Kancil and MyVi. No wonder Perodua is going to halt production of Kancil. Poor Kancil owners *sob* *sob*

I wonder how demand is like. Somehow I feel that the Kelisa is cuter. Well, the problem is, I still can't decide what car I should buy. I'd like a new car but at this moment in time, only national cars are within reach. My dad, though, is discouraging me from buying national cars. He said that I will regret it! I should listen to him since he has driven more cars that I have ridden in!

New imported cars are so expensive and I'd rather not be bogged down by a long and hefty car installment. Gee decisions, decisions.

Summer The Time For Student Loan Consolidation

My sister told me that in America, it's time for college students to graduate soon and many of them will be flooding the job market. She said that for most students, it is at this time, just before graduation that they plan to consolidate their federal student loans although there are some who do not know the benefits of Student Loan Consolidation.

By doing so, they are actually grouping their loans together and paying off one single payment at the end of the month. Apart from this convenience, they are able to save up to 60% on interest rate, running up to a four figure sum.

Some student loan consolidation programs like those offered by NextStudent could even further lower their interest rates. Hence these students save more than 60%.

On the other hand, for students who are continuing their education, NextStudent offers private student loans. Application for NextStudent private student loans is free and instant approval is given in most cases.

My List - The Malaysian List

I have been out of touch with the Malaysian blogosphere over the past year due to so much turbulence in my life. However, I still do blog hop whenever time permits and I came across this list of blogs called My List. I gave it just a cursory glance since the instructions were so long and I was lazy to read.

But last night, Daryl encouraged me to participate and I told him that I will check it out later when I am free. I went to his blog today and WTH... the dateline is tomorrow! Hence I am making this post NOW in case I forget!

Now, the purpose of MY List is to bring together all Malaysian blogs or blogs that are about Malaysia. A directory or a bookmark if you will.

If you would like to participate in this huge list, Daryl says there are more than 200 blogs listed but I AM NOT COUNTING (!), hop over to Daryl's post with specific instructions.

I think I may need to provide a link on my sidebar so that the list could be easily accessible in future.

Updated - 10th June, 2007: My List has finally been wrapped up. Please check it out HERE.

The Convenience of Studying Online

Henry will be coming to my hometown this upcoming holiday. I know he will want to know if I have already signed up for college. I have told him that I prefer to study online and he tells me that it is very convenient to obtain an online degree, so he does not understand what is delaying me.

In fact, he was the first person who recommended Capella University to me when he found out that I would rather study online. He was afraid that that I would enroll with an unrecognized university and study in vain since the Government will only recognize fully accredited universities.

I have kept Capella Unversity in view since they have rather interesting courses that I could study for online at my own pace. As a working adult, this and time flexibility are very important factors before enrolling in a course. Now, if only I could find some time to commit myself and not get distracted!

This blog post was based on information provided by Blogitive.
For more information, please visit Blogitive.com.

Drug Rehab Center For Women

You know, previously, when I wrote about a few neighborhood cases who required long stays at the drug rehab center to help kick off the habit of drug addiction, I was thinking what if a woman is in need of rehabilitation? Do these women go to the came centers as the men? I think so, but I am not comfortable with the thought of that!

I posed this question to my friend and he took it upon himself to search out a rehab center exclusively for women and he came up with The Orchid Recovery Center. The tag line of this center is aptly named, "Where women heal".

I find it a great concept that women can support each other in their quest to get healed from drug or alcohol addiction without being subjected to a male-dominated approach. I found out that this center is not that expensive to join plus they offer free phone consultation. This enables the addict to know if the program offered by The Orchid can really meet her needs.

It is our duty to point out the various options available if we know of any drug or alcohol abusers. It is not the end of the world, you know?

Toll Accident After Accident After Accident

Did you read the latest piece of news about a toll accident that happened in Hutan Kampung toll plaza where eight people died, seven whom were from a family? It is very sad indeed to see a whole family wiped out like this. Didn't the ministry already know that toll plazas are very dangerous, especially when they are right smack in the middle of the road?

How many lives were lost from the Jelapang toll before the people in power were willing to take it down.

I have been told that in other countries overseas, if motorists are paying road tax then they do not have to pay for using the roads, as in toll. But here in Malaysia, people need to pay for both. Isn't this like double taxation?

And yet we are always drilled into our heads that we have the lowest or cheapest this and that compared to our neighbors. Which is utter bull!

Searching For A New Or Used Car?

In a few posts back, I talked about looking for a car to buy but have been undecided. So far, all those that I eyed at have been turned down by my dad. He's supposedly the expert in cars.

One of my readers told me about Autotropolis, a newly launched website where I could do my research for new or used cars. I am ashamed that I did not know about the website earlier despite spending such long hours on the internet!

Autotropolis is equipped with useful interactive tools like the Vehicle Selector Aid and the Dealership Locator. These come in very handy and cut down time wasted on manually browsing through the listings.

What I really love about the site is its impartial buying advice. At least I am able to get frank third party opinion. I KNOW my dad is always shooting down my favorite cars while suggesting for me to buy what he likes instead!

Is Man U. Coming?

My friend told me that he will be going to the Man U. match but he does not know the price of the ticket. I subsequently asked him if he has found out the ticket price, but he told me, "Cancelled already."

And then later, he was excitedly telling me that the game is ON but not long afterwards, he again said that it is cancelled. I know what is going on, with regards to the fear that Man U would steal the thunder from Asian Cup. But seriously, once and for all, is it ON or OFF?

I really pity football fans and particularly, Man U fans. Can they see their favorite team in action in Kuala Lumpur in July, 2007 or not? These officials are in fact acting like small children. Remember the days when we go like, "I friend you, I don't friend you"?

So yeah, although I am not a football fan, I just hope that this issue will be settled. At least I no longer have to listen to my friend's grumbles, though personally it makes no difference to me whether they come or not. No more David Beckham already what!

Woohoo! Exciting Contest Coming Our Way!

I have the greatest pleasure to announce that Home and Bedroom Furniture, a leading online furniture store, is running an essay contest with the title, "What's It Like In A Real Pirate's Bedroom".

To participate in this Pirate's Bedroom Contest, you will have to compose an essay of approximately 100 words and submit it via email to piratebedroomcontest@home-and-bedroom.com. You have to act fast because the closing date is soon since the winning entry will be announced on June 10th, 2007, with the top entries published on the Home and Bedroom Furniture website.

If you are wondering what the prize will be, it is a Disney "Pirates of The Caribbean: At World's End" Twin Bed Comforter Set valued at over $120 most suitable for your children's Daybeds.

I would love to participate in the contest too, since it sounds simple enough, but I don't have kids and I do not want to snatch the chance away that can make a child happy. So quick, WIN this for your children!

Investing Through Proper Channels

There's a company in my hometown that is run by a husband and wife team, who is taking in cash deposits from people who want to invest in gold. The company promises a return of 36% per annum, meaning for every $100000 invested, the investor will receive $3000 per month. Also, the middleman will receive $300 per month, for his work.

While I am all into gold investing, I feel that a 36% return is too good to be true. As far as I know, even the price of gold is not rising that much, that fast. It amazes me that people could be this gullible and when this company runs with their money, they cry foul about being scammed.

Firstly, this company is not a registered gold trading company. Secondly, the returns are too good to be true.

If one would like to invest into gold, by all means do so but do it the proper way with legitimate metal investment companies. In the United States, there are companies like Monex Deposit Company. In Malaysia, I am not sure which company, but DEFINITELY not this husband-and-wife company.

When one is a victim of fraud because of his own greed then I believe there is no right for him to seek recourse should anything unfortunate happen.

Homework for Memorial Day

My friend told me that Monday is Memorial Day and that I can finally take a break. Well, I guess not. I am going to do some homework this Memorial Day holiday. What I plan to do is to do as much promotion as possible for my blogs. Get them up on as many blogrolls as possible. Get Linky Alexa Love, well you get the drift.

For the past few months, I was busy building the Page Rank from a new unranked blog to my goal of Three. I managed that and now I would like to build the foundation for both blogs to get a Google Page Rank raise, preferably a Five but Four is good enough for starters.

It has been a Three for the longest time. Was it one year only? It felt like an eternity. Many moments have escaped me yet many thoughts have been penned typed out. This blog alone is going to hit a thousand posts soon. Phew.

As you can see, “Pangsai also no time!”

Impressive Black Diamond Jewelry

Last weekend, I went to shop for wedding rings with a friend whom I shall call Fatty. That is his nickname and he knows it!

It has been a long time since I stepped into the jewelers as I did not have anything specific to buy so I tagged along for the experience and to share the joy of Fatty's impending wedding.

I was surprised that black diamonds are all the rage now. The previous time I shopped for jewelry, the platinum was the most popular item but now it is black diamond jewelry. Even Fatty wanted to get black diamond rings but I am not sure if the parents would allow since a wedding is such an auspicious occasion that RED is the only color that is suitable. You know, old people can be rather superstitious.

We were told that all Hollywood celebrities are sporting black diamond pendants and diamond studs and I think we need to be up-to-date and wear a few of such pieces ourselves! Check out the images. Aren't they amazing?

I came across My Solitaire website that has the widest range of black diamond jewelry and what I am impressed with is that we can actually design and create our own diamond stud jewelry and make our own jewelry like a professional jeweler by following the guided three-step process provided by My Solitaire.

I think it's simple awesome. People will be impressed with our own specially designed diamond jewelry! Oh, how I like that!

I Remembered! Woot!

Last year, I remembered making a blunder when I totally forgot my friend's birthday and then felt like kicking myself. How time flies. It's another year again!

And this time I remembered. I am so happy. If I had forgotten again, it would be the THIRD time that I have forgotten. We can't have that, can we?? I don't think I am that terrible a friend!

So this year, I actually cheated. To be honest, I did not remember until I received an email reminder from my AIM which I had entered his particulars. Phew.. thank god AIM did not let me down. hehe

So when I received the email notification at midnight, I straight away sent him an SMS, don't care if he is in bed or whatever, in case I forget once again! And he replied the following day telling me that he is one year older with one more bald patch. hehe so funny.

Never mind la, he is already married, who cares? :p

Cell Phone Shopping

You know I have been saying that after helping my dad shop for his Motorola cell phone, I too am moved to consider changing my own trusty phone. I have used my phone for two years and although it carries sentimental value, two years is ancient for cell phones! I too need to keep up with the latest styles!

I went to all the local shops with my dad since he is such a fussy shopper, there were so many designs, colors and features in a single cell phone, not to mention prices that have to fit my budget that I was confused.

Luckily I managed to find the list of Wirefly's top 10 cell phones for Spring 2007. Wirefly.com are the leaders in cell phones and wireless plans and came out with this list based on their sales, so they do know what they are talking about.

I am not surprised that the top three phones are as follow:

1. Motorola RAZR (all colors)
2. BlackBerry Pearl (all colors)
3. LG Chocolate (all colors)

My dad loves the Motorola and judging from its popularity, my dad is not the only one. Personally, I go for user-friendliness, design and features. I currently have my eye on the Motorola RAZR V3 Cherry Blossom Tattoo. It is really too cute and girly. I bet it fits my palm just right :-) Check this baby out!

Celcom Post Paid

As you know, I am a Celcom prepaid user. I was thinking of converting my prepaid line to postpaid. It would be awesome if I could keep my current number. I went to Celcom's website to check but the website doesn't have much information. I hate flash sites because they are so slow to load. You know how Streamyx is!

So I called up their customer service. They said that I could keep my number *yippee* but they have two types of packages. One is the new minutes plan and the other is the ordinary postpaid plan that have to pay MYR30 per month just to keep the line active.

The minutes plan has a lower tariff overall for both voice call and SMS. The problem is, the minimum package is MYR50 with 250 free voice minutes and 20 SMS. I had to get them to clarify that if I do not make any calls at all and sent out 21 SMS messages in one month, how much would my bill be?

I was told that it would be MYR50.08 since the voice minutes would be burned and after the free 20 SMS, I would be charged 8sen per SMS. Since I send out more than 20 SMS per day, this kind of package is not for me. However, their Spiderman promotion package is quite attractive. Can get free Sony Ericsson or Motorola handphone!

But if I take the normal postpaid package, don't use the phone at all also MYR30 gone wor! How lah? I think I better stick to my prepaid. And by the way, I am still waiting for my ZERO access fee post paid package. Got or not?

Rev It Up with Fresh from Florida!

This morning, my friend told me to go to YouTube to watch a music video that a member has newly uploaded. However, I found a more interesting video that I would like to share.

Check this out. I am sure many of us think of Florida as a state earning more tourist dollar than any industry but did you know that agriculture in Florida is a $87 billion industry providing food to the world? Fresh From Florida is the company that markets freshly produced agriculture products internationally. This video shows the importance and impact Florida agriculture has on farmers in Florida.

Rev It Up with Fresh from Florida!

Be Proactive - Take Control

Have you ever come across people who tell you that they want to be this or that, do this or that but never gotten around to do it? These are the people who like to complain about things but never find a solution for it because it is leceh?

I am sure most of us have friends who are like that. I am like that sometimes as well but only when I want to gain some sympathy from certain people hehehe but when I am out of my self-pity, I look at the matter at hand and DO IT.

I feel that if you want to do something, just go ahead and DO IT because if you do not, time will not wait for you the matter will not be done because you only have yourself to depend on.

I have a friend whom I envy for his freedom. His time is entirely his own because he works for himself and yet earns enough to get that little extras in life. He can travel to anywhere that he wants to but it's kind of lonely to travel alone while his friends have to slog it out at the office. But the point I'm trying to make is do not self-sabotage and you will be opening a lot more opportunities for yourself.

Educating Ourselves On Menopause, Its Symptoms & Remedies

I always think that being female is a form of punishment. If I have a choice, I would rather be a man. Why do we have to suffer from menstruation every month? Some of my friends are in real pain during their menses that they can't even go to school or work. Some others, very few, though, live life normally during their period with no sign of discomfort at all.

Older women, on the other hand, have to go through menopause. I don't have to experience it myself to know the menopause symptoms and associated problems. Just look at my mom! The change from perimenopuse to post-menopause is a very uncomfortable journey in a woman's life to say the least.

I tried to search for more information for her and also educate myself so that I don't have to go through the same things when I am older. Since we were looking for a natural menopause remedy and alternative menopause treatments, there was not much information on the internet until I discovered Menopause A to Z - The Definitive Guide to Modern Menopause.

This eBook, at $17.77 and comes with three bonus ebooks on menopause, is a wealth of information. I think this book should be every woman's companion no matter her age because all of us will go through menopause one day. It is daunting but it is part and parcel of the aging process. Why not equip ourselves with the knowledge first so that we can better handle the situation when it comes?

Utility Bill Woes

I have to urgently open an account with a financial institution this week but they need me to supply supporting documents for verification purposes. I have MyKad and Driver's License but I do not have utility bill.

The problem is that not only is the bill NOT in my name but the bill isn't in my home address. They are all in either of my parent's names and the address, although it's the same house, is not the same address.

Although I have been told that I could send in utility bills that are in my parent's name, I would need the addresses to match. How could I explain that this is the one and only house?

Aiyoh... now I would need to go and get the bills transferred into my name and my address which is a waste of time. Didn't I say I need them URGENTLY?

Now don't know need to delay till when. After change the personal particulars, need to wait at least another month for the bill to arrive. Haih.. lecehnya!

Being Responsible With Credit Cards

I asked my friend, Warren, about his Credit Card and he asked me why do I want to know. I just wanted to compare our cards but he knows that I am not someone who should have a credit card in case I shop compulsively online. Last time, when I first applied for my card and consulted him on which is good for me, he only had one advice for me and it was, "Pay your credit card – or else!"

He also asked me to read the article on how Shopaholic Brits rack up credit card debt. He asked me if I wanted to be like them? Of course not. I will be very responsible with my credit card, I swear!

So far, I have no been tempted by freebies or rewards that come with swiping a certain amount from the credit card. Phew!

$5 T-Shirts

I was chatting with my friend that I bought a $20 t-shirt in the name of charity. I told him that I normally only buy $5 t-shirts so $20 a t-shirt is like SO expensive for me. It is not like I can't afford it but I think for a t-shirt to be anything more than $10 is not worth it.

However, like I said, this is charity, so it is OK.

My friend asked me if $5 t-shirts are from pasar malam. No wor. Pasar malam also cannot find $5 t-shirts. Even if there are any, the quality is a little short. Don't you agree?

Just the other day, I bought so many $5 t-shirts from the MALL and branded some more. Why can't good stuff be cheap? A t-shirt is a t-shirt is a t-shirt. Any money you paid extra is just for the brand name.

On the other hand, there were two John Master shirts that I saw. One was double the price of the other. Without taking the price into consideration, I liked the cheap one better. To me, the quality was better for the cheaper shirt. I guess most people would think that since one is so much more expensive than the other, it must be better but if you are a discerning shopper like me, you will look deeper than just the price tag.

But I guess it all just boils down to personal preference. Maybe I'm weird :-D

Subliminal CDs To Cultivate Super Confidence

My friend told me that listening to subliminal CDs can really help him to get motivated. He said he was skeptical at first but he received a CD for his birthday and thought there's no harm trying it out.

He said that subliminal CDs can boost one's confidence or help to overcome fears or get motivated. It's a kick in the brain that makes us believe that we can achieve whatever we set our goals to be. This sounds like what I need.

I went online to search for subliminal CDs and am delighted to come across the largest CD store on the internet at http://www.subliminal-cds.com/.

There are more than 120 titles for just about every kind of motivation that we need. Listening to subliminal CDs can also free us from whatever hang ups that we may have which I think is great.

If you are also looking for that confidence boost, do check out Subliminal-CDs.com. By the way, I think these make great gifts!

Guest At Tesco

The other night, I was shopping at Tesco and guess what I saw? A COCKROACH!!! I don't know why we have the perception that because there is a cockroach around, that place must be very dirty. This is especially true if it's a makan place.

So I saw this cockroach on the floor and actually wanted to step on it, but it scurried so fast under the cabinet that I could not squash it.

I am not sure if I should tell Tesco management about it. You know, there may only be ONE cockroach now, or I have only seen ONE the other night but who knows where the family of cockroach lives?

I shudder to think if these cockroaches came into contact with food in their store room and nobody knows. EEEwww very dirty lah.

So shall I write in to Tesco or not? Unfortunately I did not manage to take a picture of the scurrying cockroach. What if the management scoffs at me and say, "No proof, no cockroach!"??

Paris Hilton "Livestrong" Bracelet

I am sure that by now you would have heard that Paris Hilton has been sentenced to jail! How could that be? No doubt, she has violated the law by driving with a suspended driver's license but according to her, she did not realize that her license was STILL suspended. I think that because she is a celebrity, she was heavily sentenced to give a signal to other people that they should not violate the law after all, Paris Hilton also can't escape from the law, what about ordinary people? What chance do they have?

I came across a movement in support of Paris Hilton where for only $9.99, we get to buy a "Free Paris" Jail Bracelet that is so popular nowadays. These bands come in PINK, Paris' favorite color, and also mine!

On the sides of the words "Free Paris" are two unlocked handcuffs. I think the message is clear enough that we want her to be free. We, her fans and supporters, hope that her appeal will be successful and she can get away from this unfair treatment with just a fine.

Besides supporting Paris Hilton's movement, for every band sold, $1 will be donated to the Brent Shapiro Foundation for Drug Awareness in honor of Brent Shapiro, a friend of Paris Hilton. It's like killing two birds with one stone!

What Colour Is Your Psyche?

I came across this interesting self-analysis from Blog Things some time back but did not have the time to post the results up. Well, in this quiz, there were quite a few self evaluation questions where we have to answer honestly for best results. I think, though, that it would be better if we get our best friends to answer them for us because sometimes they know things about us that we may not realise our self.

Your Psyche is Yellow

You have a ton of energy - both physical and mental endurance. You are rational and logical, and you can help almost anyone think clearly. Optimistic and bright, you also have a secret side that's a little darker. When you are too yellow: You will do anything to get your way, and no one will be the wiser When you don't have enough yellow: you lack confidence, drive, and humor

What Color Is Your Psyche?

Anyway, so I did this quiz and apparently, my psyche is Yellow. Well, I am fine with it. Yellow is even my favourite colour after gold. The scary part is that this self-analysis is rather accurate too. I have done other similar quizzes and they have shown fairly similar results. Although quizzes like these are for fun, its rather creepy how much it can tell about people!

It says that I need more yellow to feel more confident, have more drive and humor. No wonder I am wearing yellow now la!

Checking Out A Conservative Blog

So the general election is coming soon. My sister tells me that in the United States, most people feel a need to declare if they are a Conservative, Liberal, Democrat or Republican. Well, I don't see the logic of declaring once stance. However, my sister says that when one meets the other, usually a heated debate follows. I guess some people are just over passionate about politics.

Anyway, my sister told me to check out a conservative blog. Although I am not going to say whether I am a Conservative or Liberal HEHEHE, I did enjoy reading the blog of a Conservative. Well, he pokes fun at the Liberals whenever he feels like it and I do agree with his observations. I particularly enjoyed 10 Tips on How to Spot a Liberal and and older post "Indeed, Liberalism is a Mental Disorder" which I think are rather funny. No Liberal should be offended because they are rather accurate!

I feel that no matter which side of the fence we stand in politics, we have to always read between the lines and analyze in-depth and not listen to one side of the story only. Oft times, politicians only tell us what they want us to know but we have to see the big picture and find out the things that we SHOULD know.

Don't you think so?

It's The School Holidays AGAIN!

You may be thinking why I bother to keep track of school holidays when there are no school going children in my household. Well, I dread school holidays because that is the time my friends come to visit me and they expect me to take them jalan-jalan in town.

The truth is, I do not have the time to spare and secondly, they will compare my looks from the time they last saw me. Just take a look at the ungodly hours that I post on my blog and you will notice that I never get a decent night's rest anymore. Is it any wonder that I look like sht? Do you think I want people to see me like this? No way, especially not people I know. Strangers nevermind lah.

Since this school holidays is quite long, two weeks, two of my friends have already made plans to come. I wonder what there is to see here in my cow town but I told them half-heartedly to give me a call when they are in town. *sigh* I DON'T LIKE IT :-(

Marc's Aruba Vacation

I received an email from my friend Marc just last night. I have not heard from him for the longest time. Apparently, he has just returned from an Aruba vacation with his family. He told me that it was one of his best vacations ever and he already have plans to go for another before the year is over. He told me that he now has to concentrate on saving money!

Marc told me that he booked his vacation through Vacations.net and received steep discounts of up to 50% off regular rates and that helped a lot in his budget for the vacation and frees up his money for something else.

I have heard of Vacations.net before but Marc pointed out that their website has been revamped into a more user-friendly and intuitive customized booking engine that sets it apart from other hospitality website.

Marc told me to browse Vacations.net so that I could see the exact place that he went to. There are many visual images and virtual tours of the vacation packages on the website and Marc told me that he received exactly what he paid for.

Boy, am I so tempted to go on an Aruba vacation myself!

$3000 Free Writing Goodies Giveaway!

Oh boy, do I have great news to share today. Trent Steele of WritersGiveaway.com is giving away plenty of goodies that any writer, newbie or veteran, would find useful. These software, worth more than $3000 are perfect for professional authors, writers, screenplay writers, short story writers and even bloggers who would like to be a full-fledged writer.

You may wonder why someone is giving away all these writers software. Well, every year in May, Trent runs promotional offers to increase his subscription base to his website and this year, he is collaborating with some bestselling authors to giveaway all these writing goodies.

All you have to do is to sign up at the website by filling out the form provided with valid details. Of course, you may unsubscribe at any time and assured you will not be spammed and your personal particulars unsold.

Sign up now and grab those goodies. What are you waiting for?

Spinning In My Head

Do you sometimes experience a particular song spinning in your head and no matter what you do, you can't shake it off? I am currently suffering from this and the song in my head is NEGARAKU, for heaven's sake!

I don't even know where I listened to the song lately. Perhaps it has been playing on TV more regularly than normal? I am not conscious of it since I do not watch TV all that often but sometimes do have it switched on in the background.

Perhaps that was how the song sneaked into my mind? Bah! I think I am going to go crazy from this soon.

How does one delete the song entirely from one's mind? Should I blast my head with more ol' school Bon Jovi??

FREE Appointment for ADD/ADHD Evaluation

Paul always tells me that living in the United States, medical treatment is very advanced and within reach of most people who have medical insurance. He said the people without medical insurance are the ones who suffer due to long queues at the hospital for cheaper treatment.

However, this morning, I received an email from him with a press release about how it is now possible for people from all social backgrounds to Make a FREE appointment for ADD/ADHD Evaluation. For those of you who do not know, ADD stands for Attention Deficit Disorder while ADHD means Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. These disorders afflict approximately 7% of school-going children and is said to be genetically linked. Therefore, adults too many suffer from this, although they may not be receiving any treatment.

Research has shown that people who are suffering from such disorders may also suffer from alcohol and drug addiction, joblessness, broken homes and other serious social problems as a consequence.

Check out the press release below and if you do know of people who require an evaluation for free, do let them know.

North Andover, Mass., March 28, 2007 – According to the National Institutes of Mental Health (NIMH), proper diagnosis is a critical step in the process of managing ADD/ADHD. Unfortunately, a proper diagnosis -- defined as one that is “made by a professional with training in ADHD or in the diagnosis of mental disorders” can be an expensive, time-consuming process beyond the reach of many suffering with the disorder. To raise public awareness of the importance of proper diagnosis, and make diagnosis available to everyone in the greater Boston area, the ADD Health and Wellness Center of Andover, Mass. has initiated a free evaluation program which is open to the public with no restrictions regarding age or income level.

“The system of care in the U.S. for individuals with ADD/ADHD is a confusing maze,” said Robert S. Baurys, II, CEO of ADD Health and Wellness Centers, Inc.
“The system is so broken that diagnostic testing has become a last resort for people willing to dig deep into their pockets in hopes of finding some relief, and that’s just plain backwards,” Baurys added. “In an effort to help as many people as possible, we’re opening our doors to provide access to qualified medical and counseling professionals with no strings attached. This community service provides a sense of direction to help parents make better choices for effective treatments.”

To take advantage of the free evaluation, an individual who suspects they may suffer from ADD/ADHD – or the parent of a child who may – can register online or by telephone.

A common condition in the U.S., ADD/ADHD is estimated to affect up to 7 percent of U.S. school children, or around 4 million. Additionally, because of the strong genetic link, many parents of children with ADD/ADHD find that they themselves are suffering from the condition.
“Most adults with ADD/ADHD could benefit greatly from non-pharmaceutical treatments like coaching, counseling and nutrition therapy,” says Theresa Lavoie, Ph.D., Director of Psychology Services. “These adults have learned to cope with the ADD/ADHD, but in many cases they have internalized the effects and continue to struggle in certain areas. They don’t fully understand how the disorder has impacted their lives professionally and emotionally.”
Studies show that adults with ADD have higher rates of alcohol and drug addiction, joblessness, divorce and other serious consequences. With the appropriate treatments, adults can learn to manage ADD/ADHD and significantly minimize the negative impact on their lives.
Other important treatment components available at ADD Health and Wellness Centers include:
• Neuropsychological evaluations and diagnostic clarifications
• Education and counseling
• Behavioral and cognitive treatment for ADD and other co-existing conditions
• Academic tutoring and placement specialists
• Coaching services
• Support groups
• Social skills groups
• Skills-based group treatment
• Intensive workshops
• Complementary and alternative non-medication therapies
• Nutritional counseling and supplementation
The ADD Health and Wellness Centers of Greater Boston opened October 1 and is the first of more than a half dozen Centers scheduled to launch around the country in the next year.
About ADD Health and Wellness Centers: ADD Health and Wellness Centers, Inc. is dedicated to individualized, comprehensive, accessible, results-driven treatment for ADD and related conditions. The ADD Health and Wellness Centers of Greater Boston is located at: Jefferson Office Park, 790 Turnpike Street, Suite 106, North Andover, Mass., 01845. To schedule a free diagnostic screening, call (978) 683-6065, or visit ADDhealthandwellness.com .

Fishing At Hard Rock Cafe

I have never been to Hard Rock Cafe before so I do not know what sort of crowd frequents it except that there are many gwailos around. I have so many friends who met their other half at Hard Rock Cafe, got married and followed the husband back to their home country or their new work base. In the first place, they were at Hard Rock Cafe Kuala Lumpur also because they were expatriates here.

There was once when I saw my friend in town with a gwailo who was her boyfriend then but they subsequently got married. So I asked her, in Cantonese, "Wah so handsome, where did you find him?"

My friend replied, "He was fished from Hard Rock Cafe!" Hahaha of course the gwailo did not understand what we were laughing over.

Another outstanding case is my friend whose boyfriends were all met at Hard Rock Cafe, they came in so many nationalities that it read like a mini United Nations. She finally settled with a gwailo, got married and lived in Kuala Lumpur for a few short years and then left for his hometown. But they subsequently separated and divorced after producing two lovely mixed blooded children :-(

Without Pet Insurance ......

A blog reader read my previous post about spending $10 PER DAY on medication for my little monkey. It shocked him. And this sum doesn't even include special diet and what about my other monkey?

He said that it is a growing trend in North America for pet owners to insure their pets with pet insurance due to the high cost of veterinary treatment. Soon, only the very rich could afford to even keep a pet.

Just about the only thing I regret with my pets is my oversight in not getting them insurance policies and now, at thirteen, it is already impossible to get them insured. Therefore, I am forking out all expenses from my own pocket.

Like I said, it is not that I am complaining but it is no joke juggling all my regular commitments AND this new development in my monkey's health. I dare not imagine what would happen IF there is no pet insurance and I am unable to support them. It would be very painful indeed.

My Old School Teacher

The other evening, I met my old school teacher at Jusco. I think she actually lives near my house and in fact, her son is the same age as I am because we attended the same tuition class while we were in secondary school.

Anyway, I bumped into her but I am not sure if she recognised me, since I did not acknowledge her and pretended not to know her at all.

So she was my English language teacher when I was in Form 3 and I was sort of like a teacher's pet because English was my favourite subject.

One day, I brought to school my new large-faced watch that I bought in Penang and co-incidentally, she wanted to know the time and took a look at my watch. She was very angry because she could not make out the time. As she was the then disciplinary teacher, she straightaway passed the rule that we cannot wear fancy watches to school.

As soon as I heard this new ruling, I was pissed off. I know how it stemmed from and from whom. And I was very mad at her because I could not take that watch to school. From that day onwards, I do not like her anymore. That's why I did not acknowledge her in Jusco.

After we passed each other, I told my father that she was my school teacher. My father told me that this lady lived in his neighbourhood when they were school-going children. He even told me her childhood nick name. In fact, she knows my aunt as well.

Argh if I had known her nickname back when she was still my teacher, I would have taunted her with it. Yes, I was very naughty back then and have argued with many teachers before because I always take my stand and never let them step on me or my classmates.

IF I had taunted her with her childhood name, I would have risked getting a tight slap from her but it would be worth it!

Installing Wireless Home Security System

Some of you may know that someone attempted to break into my house last month. In fact, this is the fourth attempt over the past three years. To be frank, each time there is a breach in our home security, we feel a little bit more insecure. We are thinking of installing a home security system but are still doing research on which system is the most suitable for our needs.

We would like to go for one of those wireless home security systems but I read on the home security blog that there are quite a few types so we have to make sure that we know what we are going into, and whether wireless is better than hard-wired.

I believe that no matter how much it will cost us in installing a good home security system, peace of mind and security of the family are priceless.

Vacancies for SCB Internet & Mobile Banking Team

I received an email from my friend and I thought I would publish this on my blog. I know many of you are looking for a temporary job and this sounds like fun. It would be something I would try for as well if I am not so busy.

Job title: Temporary Marketing Trainee
Job type: Temporary (FGF Scheme does not apply)
Job duration: 3 months contract
Job location: Standard Chartered Bank branches
Department: Internet and Mobile Banking
Job description: Promote the usage of internet and mobile banking at SCB branches

Requirements:
1. Pleasant personality
2. Aged between 18 - 25 years
3. Can do attitude
4. Ability to sell
5. Good communication skills
6. Knowledge of internet domain would be an added advantage

What I like about this job is that it is for a reputable international bank plus it is only three months. Moreover one can be based anywhere since Standard Chartered Banks are EVERYWHERE and it's the INTERNET! Woohoooo

Drop me a line if you are or know of someone who is interested in the job and I will provide you with the contact information of the person in-charge!

A Gift Of Taste

After Mother's Day, Father's Day is just around the corner and it is time to crack our heads once more on what to get for our dad to celebrate Father's Day. Fathers Day Gifts are always harder to come up with compared to Mother's Day gifts because our mother is so practical that she will be most happy to receive cash.

Our father, on the other hand, has such diverse interests that it is not easy to pin point which he loves the most. Although I know that my dad would love just about anything that we give him, it is the satisfaction that we get, knowing that we have found him just the thing that he wants.

After much discussion, my siblings and I decided to go for a customized gourmet gift basket. It would be the perfect gift since our dad loves good food and since we are able to customize our order, we could place all the gourmet food that he enjoys into the gift basket. I can’t wait to surprise him!

Personalized European License Plates

Markus, my German friend, told me that he has bought a new car to celebrate his new job and to go with the new car, his parents made him a novelty European license plate with customized text! I love license plates like these but too bad they are illegal over here. However, Markus told me that European license plates show the status of the driver because they definitely stand out from the crowd!

No more is a BMW just a BMW if it is personalized. The owner can order just about any text for his European license plate, maybe to celebrate his new job, like Markus, or to mark a special occasion like a wedding, or a job promotion.

When you already have the car to show for your handwork, it's time to stroke your ego with a personalized European license plate!

[MYR2.33 X 3] + MYR1.20 + MYR2.70

My poor little monkey has been on medication since the beginning of the month. I am not sure if I wrote about it but the bottle of medication for his arthritis is MYR280 for a bottle that is to be taken for two months.

His medication is so expensive that I just have to calculate how much I am spending on him alone and it works out to be MYR10.89 PER DAY excluding his regular meals and also up keeping my other fatty monkey.

It's not that I am complaining, though, just wanted to know where the money is spent on. My friend, Warren, told me that my monkeys get better health care than him. I am sure he is just mocking me.

You see, animal medical treatment is getting more and more expensive that soon, only the very rich could afford to keep a pet in a healthy, loving environment. It really makes sense to be covered with pet insurance.

I am just thankful that I could afford the little extras for the two monkeys. Heck, after 12.5 years together, they ARE a part of the family. Paul said that if I can't afford it, I can't and there is nothing much that I could do about it on short notice, but God, please don't put me in that spot!

Air Ambulance Charter Services

My sister, who has lived in the United States for more than five years, is still amazed at the things that are available there. She recently came across an air ambulance company and promptly told me about it. And with the internet, I could read up more about the domestic and international air ambulance charter services offered by this company at their website, AirAmbulance.net

There are many emergency cases where one is required to charter an air ambulance. If you know what an ambulance is, then you can imagine that the air ambulance is actually an airplane modified and equipped with medical gadgetry and personnel to handle any aero-medical situation.

Air ambulance also includes ground ambulance service and in fact critical care ground transportation is just as important as the flight itself in transporting the patient safely and quickly to the hospital.

My sister discovered about an air ambulance Texas service while watching a TV program on disaster relief. AirAmbulance.net is offering its service to many domestic destinations including from major cities like New York, Florida, California and Arizona to other inner cities that are harder to reach.

Amazingly, AirAmbulance.net also offers international air ambulance charter. I wonder if this cost a bomb!?!

Why Is Celcom ALWAYS Down?

Call me dumb or whatever, but I don't get it why Celcom is always scheduling downtime for long hours. Since a couple of months ago, I have experienced three occasions of downtime that last for six to seven hours, usually starting from midnight or 1am and to be frank, that is the time I am most active in my phone usage, making an receiving calls and SMS.

Unfortunately, during such down times, I can’t even check my balance (yes, I am a prepaid user), let alone make or receive phone calls, SMS or MMS.

If you think that I should get a secondary line, I really don' see why I should. I have Celcom and I expect it to give me the best service and support. The same goes to Maxis and Digi, if I were their customer.

I can understand that there are times when they need to do some system upgrades but for heaven's sake, DIVERT our calls and NOT cut of our communications totally!

Navigating With TomTom Rider V2

I was first introduced to the wonders of GPS earlier this year. Of course I knew about it before this but when my friend came to my hometown to visit me over the holidays, he brought a long his GPS set and we took a ride in the car around town testing it and that was how I managed to get first hand experience.

Since then, I have been rather fascinated with GPS and the wonders it could do. I am ashamed to admit that I, and my friend, got lost in my own hometown and thanks to his GPS that saved the day!

Next month, my friend proposes to come for a visit in his new toy, a superbike. He said he has already equipped it with a tomtom rider V2 so there is no fear of getting lost AGAIN!

I thought that his car's GPS was rather bulky and wondered how he could navigate his bike with the GPS mounted to the front but according to my friend, the TomTom Rider V2 was designed and developed for bikers by bikers.

Really, I can't wait to experience his new toys, the bike and the TomTom Rider V2!

Embracing Change

Last week, I came across this phrase "embracing change". It is really thought-provoking.

It is easier said than done that one should embrace change but how many people can actually do it if the change is towards something negative? If it is something positive, something bright surely everyone could do it.

What is the hardest change that one could embrace? I feel that it is living with a debilitating illness. Living is poverty is not that hard. I have been down and up again and I have survived. I could "embrace" that transition from living an OK life to a dirt poor one. I embraced a life from being dirt poor to a financially OK one once again.

But I feel that to live with an illness knowing that it is only a one-way street, I'm not sure how many people could cope with it.

Denver Lasik Clinic

Upon reading a post I did on Lasik surgery recently, a reader told me about Icon Lasik, a Lasik provider based in Denver, Colorado, that has performed over an impressive 60,000 LASK & PRL procedures. Icon Lasik, where you can find the best Lasik surgeon in Denver, is also equipped with cutting edge technology that makes Lasik surgery very safe and provides the best results possible for each individual.

At Icon Lasik, surgery starts at $499 per eye. Moreover, they have an easy payment scheme of $0 down payment, 100% financing with monthly installments of $29 only and no payments until 2008.

Prices at Lasik are most affordable when you think that some other clinics are offering the same procedure at $1500 which is outrageous! Moreover, Icon Lasik carries a 20/20 guarantee with many patients ended up with 20/15 and even 20/10!

Too Fast For Comments

At the speed I am blogging, it is no wonder that readers hardly ever leave me a comment anymore. If they do, it is usually for a post in the back pages. Sigh too bad.

I think I am publishing at least three posts on the average but there are good days that I publish more than ten posts. I kinda pity my readers for having to keep up with my pace and sorry to have bombarded my blog feed subscribers.

Someone told me that it is a wonder I have so many things to write about and another person told me that he does not mind my sponsored posts because he learnt quite a few new stuff from them too!

Whoa, I am encouraged to continue blogging Wwwhhheeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!

I've just received a piece of good news so I'm ecstatic!! Woohoooo!!!

Seduce A Celeb!

I stumbled upon a unique win-a-date website except that the date in question is none other than Mirelly Taylor, the star from "Kiss Me Again", "Serving Sara", "Las Vegas" and "Numb3rs". If you have watched any of her movies or TV shows, you will know how seriously HOT Mirelly is!

This contest, running on GoFish.com for 14 weeks will see GoFish members outdo each other trying to win a date with Mirelly. The contest begins with Mirelly in three videos with specific calls to action and participants are supposed to create videos for each one to answer her calls. Participants of course need to be as creative as possible to stand out from the crowd.

So far, this contest has received tremendous support from GoFish members, mainly because just about anyone who lives in the United States and who can come up with a video can participate and stand a chance to win a date with the beautiful Mirelly.

I must say that GoFish members are really a hilarious bunch, judging from the submissions thus far. Well, they have to be in order to garner public votes! Check out the Free videos at GoFish.com

While I think that Mirelly makes a good kick off to the program, it would be interesting to see the show feature Paris Hilton in the celebrity line-up, perhaps after she is released from jail.

Good News On Search Engine Optimization

I came to know of a company that offers search engine optimization and other search engine marketing and positioning services which I think will help my buddy's online business tremendously. She has been complaining of not being able to clinch a sale for the past couple of months. Well, that is really bad and as far as I know, she has not experienced such a dry spell in sales before.

Customer Magnetism has been recommended to me by a friend who has found their services cost-effective and results driven. He said that this is the best return on investment that he received, better than all the other optimization and marketing methods that he adopted combined.

This really sounds like what my buddy needs. Besides, there is no yearly contract to commit to. A customer can choose to or not to renew their monthly subscription, but I don't see why someone would not want to renew if this is a low-cost and effective method. Moreover, there are very attractive renewal plans for returning customers at only a fraction of the initial cost.

I definitely will tell her about it the first chance I have.

Oh-oh Mother's Day!

So Sunday was Mother's Day. With all the hype around us and the numerous sponsored posts I wrote on Mother's Day gifts, flowers and what-nots, I am ashamed to admit that I totally forgot about it if not for a passing remark that my friend made and asking what plans I have for Mother's Day.

I had thought that I have another week to plan something but I did not realise that time flew by so fast. I was stumped when my friend posed that question to me because it was already 3am on Mother's Day, for goodness sake! I couldn't even think straight.

However, my mother is an ultra practical woman and she loves nothing better than cash. Of course, I am not faulting her one bit. In fact, she always makes things easy for my siblings and I. We do not have to use our brain juice cracking our heads coming up with gift ideas. Cash is King, or rather Queen, in this instance!

PAYjr Chore & Allowance System

Many of my friends with children, especially teenagers, have complained to me that they do not know the value of money. Most like to spend on unnecessary purchases because they think money are easy to come by.

Coincidentally, I stumbled upon PAYjr which I think can help my friends and their children. PAYjr is an online allowance and chore system for children and prepaid card for teens too. Best of all, this is a free service.

PAYjr, a Chore & Allowance and Teen Prepaid system, aims to teach children from young, values like discipline and responsibility. The prepaid card specifically teaches children how to manage their finances. While some people may think that prepaid card is expensive, it really does help children to control their spending. This coaching will do them good when they are older and qualify for a credit card.

PAYjr, a leading provider of youth finance programs, came up with this system to help parents teach their children financial management. Also, with the prepaid card specifically for the young, parents will know where the money is spent on.

Gee! So Persistent!

I recently got to know two of my neighbours who are Christians. One of them just moved to the neighbourhood recently while the other has been a long time resident. Both attend the same church in my area.

Anyway, I just got to know these two people. Since the day I met them, they have persistently asked me to attend their "cell meeting" (am not sure if it's called cell meeting?) and even Church service.

I have declined so far, for one, because I do not have time to spare from 8.30pm - 11.30pm every Friday night for the cell meetings and secondly I am not a Christian, which they are aware of.

One of them tried to catch my interest by saying that there will be food and songs at the meetings. AS IF I HAVE NEVER EATEN BEFORE and I don't EVEN LIKE singing, at least not in front of strangers.

Don't get me wrong, I do have Christian friends but none has bothered me with their Church activities. I mean, I respect your religion, so please respect mine too. I know it is our duty to spread our religion and Christians seem to take this responsibility seriously but they should be more selective in their targets. Go get those freethinkers and not people who are already borne into religion.

Don't you think so?

Be Good To Your Whole Body Podcast

Since my first awareness of natural health, I have been conscious of the food and drinks that I take. I figured that it is easier to put into our body but difficult to take it out. I search online to find tips on better natural health. The thought of sickness and the cost of medicine and treatments are scary.

Whole Foods Market is running a series of podcast on natural body and health care whereby they will have one episode per month covering one particular topic, which I found on their "Be Good To Your Whole Body" podcast page.

Coincidentally, this month's topic is on cleansing. This is a good topic for me since I have been told I need to get those toxins off my body that is causing me to suffer from zits.

I try my best to drink as much clear water as possible. I cut down on salt, sugar and oil in my food too. I try to get organic food but they are pretty expensive.

The problem with me is that I am never able to get enough rest and I lead a stressful life. If I could change this, I believe I would have a healthier lifestyle.

Celcom Sucks, BIG TIME

If you do not already know, I am a Celcom prepaid user. It sucks that they keep changing their rules. The latest is a revamp on their loyalty bonus, which will be replaced with usage bonus with effect from 14th May, 2007.

They make it sound as if they are rewarding us better than ever, but if you can calculate even a little bit, you know know that they are ripping us off, AGAIN!

I failed my Additional Math in SPM but they did not fool me.

If you compare these two charts, you can see that I used to get 10% bonus each time I reload at least RM50 BUT now they want me to USE minimum RM50 within a month to qualify for a measly 3% bonus airtime. It comes up to only RM1.50. BIG DEAL!

I'm getting more and more dissatisfied with the short end that we consumers are given. I'd love to change to something else but they are all the same, aren't they? Bah!

Sprint's Samsung Upstage M620

With all the hype over Apple iPhone, it has been such a long wait for it to be released and the wait it still continuing. Meanwhile, Samsung is out with the Upstage available NOW and FREE with any new Sprint subscription. By the way, did you know that Sprint is the only telco company with mobile plans that allow you to receive calls for free no matter which network it is from?

While I too have been one of those people waiting for iPhone, I would like to have a phone cum media player right now. And the Sprint Upstage combination looks like just the right package for me now, seeing that the iPhone is still not ready and when it is out, it will still be $199.99 after rebates with a new Cingular Wireless account.

The smart shopper in me dictates that I do the right thing!

The Samsung Upstage M620 is an amazing piece of mobile device. On one side it is a full-featured music player like an iPod but on the other side, SURPRISE (!) it is a full-featured mobile phone. This dual personality design is one of its kind even in America. While the iPhone boasts of a vibrant screen, the Upstage has TWO!

I can also use the Upstage as a modem should the need arises and I am not sure if I could do so with the iPhone. I also noticed that the Upstage has advanced voice-activated dialing while the iPhone does not. Moreover, Upstage requires no pre-training.

What I like about the Upstage besides the above, its high speed data downloads enables me to watch Sprint TV and stream music with full-motion video and stereo sound over bluetooth without buffering.

The Apple iPhone has a battery talk time of up to 300 minutes while Samsung Upstage has up to 378 minutes with Included Wallet. All in, the Samsung Upstage is a good phone for those who do not want to wait for the iPhone!

Buy Or Not??

Last evening, I was out shopping when I saw this really nice skirt. It was selling at only MYR15, after discount. It is quite cheap and I like cheap things. It s a local brand but I do not mind. What I look for in clothes is not actually the brand bu he material. This skirt was so soft.

Unfortunately, although it comes in three colours (pink, beige & brown), there was only one piece in Small and it was brown! Ugh! I wanted pink or at least beige but they were all XL.

I guess I am not the only persona who dislikes brown. I can't fit into XL. So I was thinking, do I buy or not? The skirt was cheap, nice and there is my size - Small. Only problem is the colour.

My guy friends used to wonder why I do not own any skirts. But I am such a fussy shopper. I want cheap, I want beautiful and I want comfort. Where to find? Aiyah... shopping is really not easy leh!

Selecting The Right Drug Rehab Program

Someone asked me why do I like writing about drugs and addiction. It is not that I like to write about it but I would like to create awareness that being addicted to drugs is not the end of the world. A drug addict can still turn over a new leaf. Life may seem bleak once someone is addicted to drugs but if we can provide him with an appropriate drug rehab treatment program, I believe that his life could be salvaged. That is what I have seen.

The saying goes that it takes an addict to know another. This is very true. The people who run Stone Hawk Addiction Treatment Center were once addicts too. You can bet they know what an addict really goes through and what he has in his mind.

People who have been there and done that are the people who can provide the help and support. Stone Hawk opens the opportunity for addicts to have a healing beginning.

Appreciating Mothers

My friend would like to send flowers to his wife this Mother's Day to show her that he appreciates what she is doing for their children and that he knows that her role as a Mother is never easy. How sweet he is.

Usually, men do not do anything to celebrate Mother's Day and leave it to the children to come up with something, and then join in the celebrations. Or if the children are young, they let the children plan for the occasion and just settle the bill, if any.

I told my friend that he could avoid the hassle of flower shopping by shopping for them online. There are many online flower shops, actually, and showed him the website of Dot Flowers.

My friend was amazed that people even sell flowers online and was dazzled by the wide selection of floral arrangements. I told him to start shopping by first deciding his budget and then go from there!

Original / Sponsored Posts Ratio

I read somewhere that the ideal ratio for original posts and sponsored posts on blogs, to keep the readership, is 10:1. That means for every ten published posts, nine are original, one is sponsored. I don't know if there is an ideal. If you are like me, trying to settle my family's debts, you will of course try to pack in as many sponsored posts a day as possible.

When I first started my blog, my ratio was 10:0 and I tried to write a post every single day, except for the three week hiatus that I took to take care of something else. Once my blog was accepted, I was publishing two original posts a day and the ratio of original / sponsored posts became 10:5.

Earlier this year, I was publishing three original posts a day and the ratio was still 10:5 but for the past week, I have been publishing up to SIX original posts a day and my ratio was sometimes a low of 10:3. That is an improvement. I really rather prefer 10:5 because for a ratio of 10:3, I am actually writing MORE but getting paid the same. It's not something I like but I have no choice, you know? *tired*

KissCafe - Free Global Dating Portal

To say that I have visited many free dating online is an understatement. I practically receive recommendations of dating websites from well-meaning friends daily who email me their "new" discoveries.

The latest information that I received is a new online dating portal called KissCafe that is based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

This free online dating website came to my friend's attention when KissCafe announced recently that their portal now supports an amazing seventeen different languages to accommodate global membership. Some of these languages include Chinese, Greek, Danish, Spanish and Japanese.

By providing their full services in these languages, for free of course, KissCafe also acquired domain names of KissCafe for the other sixteen countries, besides the United States, to correspond with the new languages and region.

By localizing content for each local domain name, someone who logs into a foreign KissCafe domain will be presented with local information that is relevant to the browser. This makes it easier for a browser to navigate the website, receive appropriate information and meet local people.

It is believed that KissCafe is the first and only free online dating company to provide such a service for free in seventeen countries and establishing itself as a leading global player in the online dating market.

If you think that running seventeen full-featured online dating portals is a tad too ambitious then you have to know that if you believe, you can achieve. The owners of KissCafe are very motivated by the fact that it is within their ability to connect as many single people around the world who otherwise will never have the opportunity to meet.

I say that if they can do it and do it well, why not? May more people all over the world enjoy and benefit from KissCafe and in return, give something in return to the KissCafe community.

Vancouver, BC – May 8, 2007 – Kisscafe, a free online dating website based in Vancouver, BC, recently announced its free dating service will now be offered in seventeen different languages. The new languages available include Chinese, Greek, Danish, Spanish, and Japanese. As well as offering full service in these languages, Kisscafe has also acquired the domains for the sixteen countries that correspond with the new languages.

As a result of acquiring the international domains and offering full service in multiple languages, Kisscafe has established itself as a truly international website, with the ability to cater to members around the world. By enabling recognition of the website users' whereabouts through the international domain addresses, the site content is localized accordingly. When logging into the French site (www.kisscafe.fr), for example, members' are presented with information that is relevant to their country, making it easier to navigate, read site content, and meet other members in France. With this approach, Kisscafe has achieved an online dating industry first.

The international approach was motivated by the founders' desires to offer the same high quality features to singles around the world. “We have the tools and the ability to offer our service to people all around the world, and can use them to connect people around the globe who wouldn't otherwise be able to meet. Ultimately, our goal to make Kisscafe an international service comes from our same motivation to start the site- to help as many people as we can meet,” said President, Fabrice L'Heureux.

About Kisscafe:
Based in Vancouver, BC, Kisscafe is a new free online dating service. Launched in 2006, the website was created to offer members free unlimited access to features normally available only at pay dating sites, including blogging, posting pictures, a question and answer forum, instant messaging, and mobile capabilities. Kisscafe is now one of the fastest growing online dating websites in North America.

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If you'd like more information, or you'd like to schedule an interview with Fabrice L'Heureux or Tyson Miller, please contact Tyson Miller at (778) 896- 1643 or at tysonmiller@gmail.com