long silence.. again..

hmm.. it's been a while since my last post.. here's a little update..

my streamyx connection were down since wednesday evening til saturday evening.. called the support line, well, u know how it feels to call those hotlines.. after more than 10 minutes of 'streamyx broadband song', only then the real person voice came through.. made a report for the frequent disconnection and unsuccessful attempts to connect.. and the helpdesk operator promise me that it will be solve within two working days.. well, it took them three days and it is after i called up my ex-tennis player who currently works for tmnet.. and after that, someone from their technical dept called and said that the problem was due to some faulty card at the port for my connection.. huh..??

hmm.. it's been a typical 'raya' week for me.. went back to my wife's hometown on the second days before raya with Along n Long (twolips).. help out my parent-in-laws to prepare the raya celebration.. not much i can do as it involves cooking n such.. just helping out cleaning the house.. and my wife's sister came on the last day of Ramadhan.. the boys (the nephews) help out too.. n on the raya eve we burn some firecrackers (fireworks as my wife said) with Abah.. heh.. an interesting thing happens while playing some card games with Abah n Mak.. heh.. hmm.. i know she didnt mean that but still, it hurts a bit.. u noticed that too, aren't u twolips.. heh..

oh, the way some people celebrate raya is always differs for each person.. the express forgiving and apology ceremonies which shock me a bit though.. yeah, i know sometime u do apologizes to someone n not only during first day of raya, but still, the true meaning of raya is to forgives and apologizes to everyone.. and to celebrate the successful month of fasting in Ramadhan.. it wont hurt to apologize and forgive someone like u mean it during the raya morning.. it's just inappropriate the return someone's apologies with a simple phrase of 'same to u'.. it would be great when someone said "please forgive my sins throughout this year ...." and u return the apologies with "i'm also would like to apologizes to u...." heh.. well, what's done is done..

hmm.. what else.. about the project.. i missed my chance to get my own mini barebone or small form factor pc last week..!! i had been eyeing this one auction in lelong.com.my and one the last hour of the auction, my connection went dead..!! *sigh* well, again.. what's done is done..

went to Plaza Alam Sentral in Shah Alam last week before raya.. my mom, my sis n my wife went window shopping (last minute) for baju kurung raya.. heh.. cant stand the crowd and the feeling of womens only shopping spree, i went to the IT section.. a bit disappointed at first seeing it's not an IT section but 80% of the shops there concentrate on handphones stuff.. and then this one shop amaze me.. there's a small form factor desktop pc that is actually an old skool pc.. maybe pentium 2 at least.. but the casing is just right for my project.. i want to ask for the price but the sales assisstant there (only one person) was busy with some other person.. hmm.. i have to let it go for a while..

maybe i will be going to Plaza Low Yatt tomorrow.. just found out about the amazing shops at the fourth floor.. they are actually selling most of the things i need for my project.. err, i have been spending my time at the third floor on my every visit there looking out for hardwares..

that's all for now..

latest project.. part 1..

heh.. i know some of u still wondering what's my latest project is.. well, it's a secret.. err.. just wait n see.. and please, stop attacking me with questions.. but, i bet by the time i had completed this project, lots of people would like to have it too.. most of the people i know havent done this project yet.. but it seems in malaysia, this project are not so popular yet..
currently, i've completed most of the software part.. but then, it has come to the part of shopping for the hardware.. *sigh* this is the part i hate most.. as i'm in a tight budget, so, i have to wait for some time to achieve that.. and it's hard to find those hardwares in this country.. hmm.. well, i've found one company that sells the main part for this project, online, but i have to see it for my self.. just to make sure it fits my needs.. the price..?? quite satisfying..
about the mini barebone pc (some of u call it shuttle pc), actually it doesnt meet the correct specification.. i thought about it over and over again, and i have to change the actual plan.. the whole plan.. but the same idea.. heh..
n what i need right now is a sponsor.. hehehe.. like that gonna happen.. for the best result, i need about RM10k for this project.. lol.. surprise aren't you.. as i stated before, for the best result.. and legally.. see..?? the price for items in malaysia is too much.. if i'm wanna go for the minimum budget plan, it will only cost me below RM3k.. and in my current situation, i got most most of the part i need.. and i just need another RM500.. *sigh*
help..!!

cost of living..

hmm.. again.. i was triggered by the news on local tube today.. mr. deputy prime minister urges citizens of this country to not to use the local loanshark a.k.a. Ah Long a.k.a. Along or unlicenced chitty a.k.a. ceti a.k.a. Indian loanshark to pay for their childrens study fees.. in short, dont use them at all..!! says mr. deputy PM..
hmm.. well, in my humble opinion.. heh.. there are reasons why malaysians look for those loansharks for help..
first of all, malaysians are UNDERPAID..!! yes, it's true.. let me give u a scenario.. a technical person in IT in malaysia (A) are getting minimum basic salary of RM1.5k per month.. well, i've heard and know some cases where the pay is lower than that.. and, from what i heard, a same technical IT guy in the other states especially in western countries (B) are getting roughly USD1.5k too per month.. in a glance, without minding the currency rate, both person gets the same amount of currency bills every month.. 1500 sheets of RM1 or USD1 bills.. but in reality.. there's a lot of differences for both person.. in currency rate, B is richer than A by 3.6 times (current rate).. and, the cost of living there, B can spend on lots of things for his needs.. but, take a look at A, with all the price hikes and most of the items are imported from westerners, how much can he spend..?? what kind of food can he eat..?? can he eat chicken chop everyday..?? after paying his utility bills, house rent, car loan, fuel for his car, *sigh* can he buy himself a decent clothings..?? branded clothing here in malaysia, for example, Nike, even the shorts cost us RM70.. wtf..?? typically, all they said was that it covered the cost of shipping from other countries n currency rates factor..
that's a reason why Petaling Street exists.. so that we can afford 'Nike' brand eventho its a replica.. the price for locals..?? 1/3 of the original..
back to the topic.. in my opinion, cost of living here in malaysia are too high.. there's an advertisement in local tube on a 6-7 years old kid is trying to saves money from every source he can get.. washing cars, helping his motherdoing house chores n such.. at the end of the advertisement, the narrator said that the cost for engineering course in local university is about rm45k.. well, it's true.. while on my days in unitar, i was told that the cost for it degree course is about rm40k.. *sigh* and if took the loan for my study, i have to pay the loan provider about rm200+ per month for about 15 years.. wtf..?? in case i got my degree when i'm 25 years old, that piece of paper will officially be mine only when i'm 40 y/o.. but still, that piece of paper didnt guarantees me a job that can help me feed myself and my future family.. that's one of the reason y i hate malaysia educational system..
occay, lets take another scenario.. a father, sole income provider for his family, have a job that pays him rm1k per month.. and lets say he got 3 or 4 childrens.. cost of sending his childrens for a proper and chepest school (government sponsored schools) maybe takes about rm100 to rm200 per child for the fees only.. and he still have to buy the school uniforms for his childrens.. and lets not forget the exercise books, text books, revision books.. and also some money for his childrens to spend while in school e.g. foods, drinks, stationaries.. do u think he can afford that..?? and do u think the government will pay for his childs educational process..?? or even worse, does the government notice him..?? lol.. can he apply for a loan from the licensed company..?? those procedures scares me a lot.. u got to have a guarantor, confirmation letter n such.. then, Along came to the rescue.. that man can apply for a loan without guarantor, without those procedures.. but the risk is he could lose his life if he fails to pay on time.. *sigh* of course, family comes first.. and what choices does the man had..?? u think about it..
those ministers saying all those things about dont take loans from loansharks n such.. i wanna ask u guys a question.. have u ever been in those peoples shoes..?? u might say, i used to while i was i kid.. i grew up in a poor family yada yada.. well, it was 30 years ago mr. minister.. now, while u have an allowance for your house, allowance for your car (it's not your car as u didnt pay for it), allowance for driver (u wont drive that car.. i know), allowance for meals, allowance for appearing in public n many other allowance.. u even had escorts while on your journey anywhere in this problematic traffic jam in KL.. ordinary citizens has to be pulled over and stopped to give way to mr. minister as he is on his way for a meeting to help the citizens.. mr. minister never pays for his fuels.. i bet that there no ministers in malaysia has ever fill up the fuel for his cars on his own.. did he even bother to be sighted at the petrol station.. nope.. he would ask his driver to make sure that the car is fully loaded with fuel before his journeys.. does mr. minister queues in traffic jam..?? nope.. does mr. minister queues on toll booth..?? nope.. they got a reserved lane for them.. does mr. minister ride on public transport on peak hours before he commented on public transport is in the best shape..?? nope..
well.. this in onle my tormented thoughts.. i bet it would never reached any of the minister in malaysia.. i'm just another citizen that votes for them to 'serve' and to be the 'voice of people' in malaysia.. all they do is debating in the parliament on current issues.. even some of them were caught sleeping at the back while other minister debating in the parliament by local news.. please wake up.. i'm not paying u guys (as my tax money went to their salary and allowance) to sleep.. please.. feel our pain and misery.. do something.. for your voters..

mini barebone pc..

hmm.. my latest project..
i'm planning to build up a mini barebone pc right now.. well, it's a kind of hard to construct due to not all mobos (motherboard) are that tiny enuff to fit those mini casing.. the typical tiny mobos out there are usually AMDs mobo and not Intels mobo.. hmm.. a challenge for me.. currently, i'm looking forward to buy (or maybe construct) this kind of pc..

front


back


what do i need that cute little thing for..?? u might ask.. well, for those who knows what are the things i'm currently in love with right now might understand what am i gonna do with that little devil.. heh.. i cant disclose this rite now as i'm still researching for the best solutions for this project, and still calculating this and that for the best performance..
if i successfully complete this project, i'm sure i wont be out of the house for about two months playing this little toy.. lol..
well, actually, i've got the parts already.. if i want to DIY this mini pc.. but then, i have to find a nice casing for it and i'm sure it will be pricey in this country.. and i have thought about constructing the casing myself using fibre glass and such.. still, i dont think that it will last for a long time.. hmm.. to DIY or not to DIY..
waaa..!! i want this mini pc so bad..!! anyone cares to buy this little thingy for me..?? hehehe.. i've already put this mini pc on my wishlist.. lol..

hotlines..

i'm sitting here with my wife having our early 'sahur'.. i've finished mine of course.. heh.. we're having our dinner in front of the tube watching the local news..
in one of the news that are being aired are about this some kind of critical problem that currently strucked malaysia for about 3 months.. malaysia is in shortage of SUGAR..!! lol.. i dont know who to blame.. as i spoke to one of the grocer here, they complained that it's not them who hide those stocks of sugars, it was those factories that manufactures sugar.. they (the grocers) complains that they have been blame for no sugar at their shop.. consumers assume that grocers hide them to pump up the price.. well, still i'm not trying to take side of anyone, as i dont know the truth..
but the main thing that are being aired are about the government's action against these scums.. the government sector that has been given the responsibility to deal with these problem has create a hotline for consumers to complain about any indecent act from any grocers or manufacturers.. like that gonna help anyone.. the irony thing is,the current channel that aired the news has been notified about the malfunction of the so called hotline.. they even aired a recording of them trying to connect to the hotline.. and as always, the answer is something like this:

machine prerecorded voice (mpv) : thank you for calling ...... please press 1 for ..... thank you, please wait while we connects you..

an anti piracy song being played.. (lol)

mpv : i'm sorry, but the line is currently busy.. please wait..

the same song being played..

mpv: i'm sorry, but the line is currently busy.. please wait.. (wtf..??)

again, that same song..

mpv : i'm sorry, but the line is still busy.. please try again later..

hahahaha..
aint that funny..?? heh.. that's a common problems with hotline.. i've been there.. well, again.. dont know who to be blame.. but actually, a little advise from me.. if u do want to make a hotline, and u know that M'sia have around 16 million citizens, hire more staff to attend those calls..
the news broadcaster even tried to ask the responsible minister for an explaination.. n here's what he had to say..

there is a technical fault at the public relation centre.. we are currently doing our best to overcome the problem.. the hotline will be back around tomorrow..

yeah, right.. sometime, or maybe everytime.. these hotline cant be trusted at all.. hmm.. i've lost my ideas on writing this topic.. but, still.. just another 'joke' to be share with u guys.. it gave me a good laugh tho..