Christmas 2009 Celebration

Unlike last 2 years where we have BBQ at home, this year, my family plan to have a simple Christmas 2009 celebration. Simple here is defined by less workload preparing the Christmas dishes and everything at home.

We went to Maria's Cafe to have dinner on the Christmas eve night. The menu on the night was specially made for the Christmas occasion with all the food having fancy names. Overall, I do not like the food, neither do most of my family members, except maybe my father. I am not to say that the food did not taste good, but it just didn't suit me. I would not comment on the overall service as during peak season, we will see staff forgetting about this and that.

Me at Maria's Cafe

All of them

Some of the food that we ordered

Salad

After we dine at Maria's Cafe, we went to Starbucks to have a cup of coffee before heading back home to get and open our presents. Lolz!!

At Starbucks

Well, that sums up what I did with family for Christmas. Overall, it was a tiring day as I just came back to Ipoh on the day itself, and we also need to sleep early that night as we have to wake up real early next day for church service.

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Blessed Christmas and Happy Holiday

Wish you all a blessed and Merry Christmas and Happy Holiday!!!

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Some Information on Coffee

Prevent Alzheimer's disease by drinking five cups of coffee a day.
As remarkable as it may seem, scientists have conducted a study which suggests you can go a long way towards
preventing Alzheimer's disease simply by drinking five cups of coffee a day.

Gary Arendash, a researcher at the Byrd Alzheimer's Institute in Tampa, Florida, says giving mice with Alzheimer's
the human equivalent of five cups of coffee, or 500 grams of caffeine, a day has plaque-busting effects
and reverses symptoms of impaired memory in aging Alzheimer's mice.
The remarkable thing is that a simple cup of coffee appears to have more effect on preventing
Alzheimer's than the expensive pharmaceuticals currently being used to treat the disease.Can
coffee really prevent Alzheimer's? More studies will need to be done. But this early research is very promising.


Fiber in Coffee – there’s more soluble fiber in coffee than there is in orange juice
At first sight, the notion of fiber in coffee may seem like nonsense.
But the fiber found in coffee is soluble fiber. You can’t see it, but it plays a very important function in our health.
In fact, it’s dietary fiber of the soluble kind that helps prevent cholesterol from being absorbed by the intestines.
Recent findings by researchers in Spain suggest that levels of soluble fiber in coffee are higher than anyone expected
- higher than the levels found in either wine or in orange juice.
Interestingly, the highest levels are found in instant coffee, not in fresh ground coffee.



Coffee may protect against oral cancers, according to a new study from Japan.
The study included information about diet, including coffee consumption.
Among more than 38,000 study participants aged 40 to 64 years with no prior history of cancer,
157 cases of cancer of the mouth, pharynx and esophagus occurred during 13 years of follow up.
Compared with people who did not drink coffee, those who drank one or more cups per day had
half the risk of developing these cancers, Naganuma's group reports in the American Journal of Epidemiology.



Your risk of developing skin cancer is reduced by taking exercise and drinking coffee.
Drinking coffee appears to lower the risk of developing skin cancer.
A research team at Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey,
has shown that a combination of exercise and some caffeine protects against the destructive effects of
the sun’s ultraviolet-B (UVB) radiation, known to induce skin cancer.
The caffeine and exercise seemingly work together in killing off pre-cancerous cells whose DNA has been damaged by UVB-rays.
So if you like coffee and take a little exercise as well, it sounds like you’ll be protected.



Coffee and heart disease – coffee drinking actively reduces your risk of dying from heart disease.

A study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine examined the relationship between coffee and mortality.
The results show that those who drank more coffee had a lower risk of dying of cardiovascular disease [heart attacks].
The association is explained mostly by a decrease in cardiovascular disease deaths, Lopez-Garcia says.
Women who drank two to three cups of coffee a day, for instance,
had a 25% lower risk of dying from heart disease than non-drinkers.
In addition, researchers from the SUNY Downstate Medical Center and
Brooklyn College have discovered that drinking plenty of coffee protects the over-65s from heart disease.

Coffee isn’t a treatment for anything, least of all heart disease.
But it is reassuring to see that as each month goes by, more and more studies are revealing a
broad range of health benefits associated with drinking coffee.
Coffee is not only delicious, and the perfect way to wake up each morning, but it is also good for our health.



Coffee and Diabetes – studies confirm that coffee drinking reduces the risk of the onset of type 2 diabetes.
Medical researchers have been aware of the beneficial connection between coffee and diabetes for many years now.
If you feel that your family medical history or lifestyle put you at risk of getting
Type 2 Diabetes, then drinking coffee can significantly reduce that risk.
Diabetes affects an estimated 18.2 million Americans, and the number rises each year.
Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the disease, and prevents the body from producing enough insulin.
Increase your brain power with coffee – a natural and effective stimulant.
This is something we all know anyway. You increase your brain power with coffee every morning when you first get up.
And when our concentration and focus begin to flag at work, we take a coffee break and perk ourselves up again with another cup.
We all know that coffee is a mild and natural neural stimulant, and don’t need scientists to tell us this.
That said, it’s reassuring to know that there are studies confirming what we already to know to be true.




NOw this if for all of ur gymers and joggers..
Reduce post-workout muscle pain – by drinking two cups of coffee before you start exercising.
It may sound a little unlikely, but a recent study indicates that drinking coffee can reduce the muscle pain you feel after a workout.
More specifically, the study looked just at women who were not habitual coffee drinkers.
It was in this group that drinking two cups of coffee before a workout seemed to help so much in reducing muscle pain.
(If it worked for the women in the study, we don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t work for men either. Not that we’re medical experts.)
Here’s what researcher Patrick O'Connor of the department of kinesiology at the University of Georgia said...
"A lot of times what people use for muscle pain is drugs like aspirin or ibuprofen,
but caffeine seems to work better than those drugs, at least among women whose daily caffeine consumption is low."
Better than aspirin or ibuprofen? That’s pretty amazing, when you think of the number of people who take
over the counter pain killers to ease their muscle pain after exercise.
The researchers did add one cautionary note, however. Two cups of coffee, for the caffeine,
is about right. But don’t go crazy and have five coffees instead. You may end up having heart palpitations or, at least, a case of the jitters.
Anyway, it’s good to read about yet another study that shows coffee lovers some of the benefits of drinking our favorite brew.





Study affirmed coffee's benefits for its high level of antioxidants
Researchers from the University of Scranton released on August 29, 2005 that coffee is the No. 1 source of antioxidants in the American diet. Antioxidants are substances or nutrients in foods that can prevent or slow oxidative damage to our body.
When our cells utilize oxygen, they naturally produce free radicals (by-products) which can cause damage to other cells.
Antioxidants act as "free radical scavengers" and hence prevent and repair damage inflicted by these free radicals. Fruits and vegetables are hailed as the richest sources of antioxidants, but this study shows that coffee berries actually have a higher amount of antioxidants than tea and it is the main source from which most Americans get their antioxidants.
Both caffeinated and decaffeinated coffee appear to provide similar amounts of antioxidants.


Coffee constricts blood vessels
Coffee is also a diuretic - it constricts blood vessels and can dehydrate. So, the known side effect of taking a lot of coffee is dull skin.
However, if you limit your coffee intake and take lots of water after that, there is no reason why you should cut your regular cuppa out of your diet!
However, the properties of coffee and caffeine in constricting blood vessels might prove to be a goldmine yet.
Research has shown that using caffeine topically on the skin can help constrict the blood vessels, helping those with rosacea, and reducing dark eye circles or puffy eyes. Coffee is also a well known ingredient in helping reduce cellulite.
In fact, the Avon cosmetic says that caffeine is crucial in a good cellulite cream! Now who said caffeine was bad again?

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17th Sept 2009...."ACTIVATION" of the BloggISH..

It probably take more than just a day or a week but a consistent effort of Blogging...BLoggISH consists of 2 young adults who try to give the BLOGGING industry a try out while continue to be very active in the things that they are doing.

One of them is JasonToh, and another is KianHin@se3keR.
A computer science graduate and a 2nd year Statistic course student who is also taking Actuarial Pro Paper decided to OFFICIATE our blog. These blogs have been activated for quite a long time but there have never been a consistency in the updates.

Well, there isn't any celebration but this will be a reminder that we are keen to be BLoggIing about the happenings of our lives and of course, important and crucial details, be it about the economy, politics, cool Gadgets, or even our muddled lives. Stay tuned for more....you can check the latest updates through Facebook: JasonToh or KianHin for updates or follow us on Twitter.

As for now, three updates are available in CoffeeConversation, JUST BLOG IT and Money Master.

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Friday Again....and Long Holiday!!!!...... And Selamat Hari Raya!!!!!!

Well, guess what, tomorrow is Friday and it means weekends is coming. Friday is usually the most relaxing day in the office, while at the same time, it can be tension enough. Why I would feel tension on this day? It is because I will be rushing to go back to Ipoh and sometimes it happened that when I was driving, they will be issues back in the working place. Nevertheless, I also enjoy working on Friday, coupled with the long break and weekends just around the corner. But tomorrow Friday will be a little bit different, because there will be two public holidays on next Monday and Tuesday. With this long break, hopefully I will be re-charged.

One more note though, the long break is because of Hari Raya, a celebration by the Muslims. So, here I would like to wish all the muslims who will be celebrating this Hari Raya - "Selamat Hari Raya!!!"

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My Car Got Scratch....ARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!! - Photo edition

Today I use my handphone to take the pictures of the long scratch. Not sure whether it can be wiped off using wax or polish. If it cannot be fix, most probably have to fork out some money to temporary fix the scratch :(. Reported out the incident, now waiting for them to tackle to culprit.

This post continue from My Car Got Scratch....ARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

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My Car Got Scratch....ARRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!

Yesterday when I was about to take my bag from my car, I was soooooo angry to see a long scratch from the front door till the rear light. Arrrgggggghhhhhhhhhhhhh...........The worst thing is this incident happen at the car park of my work place. I will need for either repaint the whole car, or wax or maybe polish on Monday so that the scratch is not so obvious. Anyway, it still ruin my mood.

The good thing is there are CCTVs around the car park in which one or two of it might have recorded the incident, and if we happen to catch the culprit, most likely I will ask for him or her to repay should I take my car for repainting.

Come on people, we have already been living in the age of civilization, why do we have to act so......"uncivilized". Vandalism is something that I cannot tolerate, not because this round it happens to my car, but because it will create a lot of hardship for others.

Will post the photo on Monday or Tuesday night to show the severity of the scratch.

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Economic crisis turning point??

If any of you are complaining and cursing about the current economy slump, then you need to understand that ECONOMIC CRISIS NEVER HAPPEN OVERnight. In fact, they are the result of years and even decades of global economic change, policy errors as well as investor misjudgment and miscalculation.

But there always will have those moments such as those in the past, the Wall Street crash of 1929, the fall of Thai baht in 1997 and recently when Lehman Brothers filed for bankruptcy and bankers around the world ask that one question that should also be a question to each and every single one of us.

"If a bank as well known as Lehman can fail, who is safe?" and that's it: we're all heading into recession.

And even the awakened dragon, China suffered and shuddered with fears of mass unrest as millions of workers were tossed from jobs at shuttered export factories.
Predictions about the worst ever recession has been up but one year after the Lehman bankruptcy, as policymakers and pundits gather to take stock, more of the economists are busily upping forecast for U.S growth.

And of course, China after a brief pause has returned to its caffeinated growth path, lifting together most of the Asians with it. Many are now saying that the "worst case scenario of a complete economic and financial meltdown has clearly been avoided".

The more daring ones are saying that "We're out of recession globally"

However, even if recovery is on the track, we must acknowledge that what happened change the situation existed before. Just as the world after the Great Recession won't be the world that existed before, this downturn has a fundamental impact on the globe's economic future.

In fact, the role of the United States have probably been altered. For so long, the Americans have played the primary driver of global growth but with the lesson learned, countries like Taiwan which suffered the most as she is the export-oriented economy, the government is now promoting new domestically focused industries like tourism.

Taiwan president, Ma Ying-jeou told TIME, "We were hard-hit by the shrinkage of the export market in the US. So one lesson we learned is we should diversify our export markets."

Well, if that's anything for sure is that we may have avoided the worst recession ever but we're still far from where we were before the crisis. The U.S has lost 6.7 million payroll jobs since December 2007...it'll take a long, long time to make up all the economy activity that was lost during the recession.

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Happy ID, Malaysia!!!

Malaysia is celebrating her 52nd independence day today and I just wish the nation to prosper and just hope that the 1Malaysia concept will really be practiced by everyone. Happy Independence Day Malaysia.


Attached together with the post is a clip of the 1Malaysia song:-

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Blogging it My Way: I'm back blogging :)

Blogging it My Way: I'm back blogging :)

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I'm back blogging :)

The last 2 weeks.....I saw a shout from Ria C about me not posting for a while. Indeed I've been missing doing other stuff until I neglected this blog and finally the blog losses the Google Page Rank as well.

In actual fact, I should have a lot of things to blog, starting from Mother's Day, Father's Day, my birthday....Lolz, daddy's birthday and many more things happening around me. It is just the usual shadow of myself - laziness has once propped up and I did not even find the time to upload the photos from the camera as well.

I wanted to blog here last week, but then, was on MC the whole week due to fever and flu and then sore throat, which took me one week for recovery.

So, again, I will try to remind myself to be more discipline and to blog on and off in this blog to avoid my Google PR to be removed. Hope to visit all my blogger friends' blog again. :)

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My HTC P3600i

I always wonder how on Earth HTC talk about this PDA being a pocket pc with smart features and that this stylish 3.5G GPS PDA phone is the perfect companion for a busy lifestyle. Well, that was of course before I truly experiment with my PDA phone.

First of all, I must talked about the struggle that I have with this phone when I first lay my hand on my new toy. That was of course the missing directory in my storage card. Back then I was using Iproc 2GB Mini SD. Everytime I save any video, it would eventually went missing especially if the file is too big. It was not until I change into my new storage card that this PDA works perfectly fine. And I was using the Micro SD, and using the MicroSD adapter as the alternative.

this is the wasted storage card, 2GB Mini SD.

This is the solution MicroSD, with its' adapter on, 4GB...

Well, guess what...it works and my PDA phone is now ready on the go with 4GB storage card. Definitely a solution for this PDA that has "lack of memory and space" problem.
The ROM memory only has 256MB and a ram memory of 64MB SD ram. It is the only disadvantage of this multipurpose and smart filled PDA.

I think before going further with what I'm going to blog about here, I should give you the clear specification of this PDA, that no longer found in the market.

General & Hardware

Date Announced	2007, 3Q
Network Technology	HSDPA / UMTS / GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900
Hardware/Processor	Samsung Processor 500 MHz
Dimensions (mm)	108 x 58.2 x 18.4
Weight (g)	150
Screen Size	2.8 inch, 240 x 320 pixels , Touch screen
Screen Color	TFT 65K colors
Type	Blok
Navigation Key	5-way Navigation , Jog Wheel
Antenna	Fixed Internal
Internal(MB)	256 MB ROM, 64 MB SDRAM
Memory Slot	mini SD
Battery Type	Li - Ion 1500 mAh
Stand-by (hrs)	250
TalkTime(min)	300

Entertainment

Polyphonic
MP3	Yes
FM Radio	No
TV Receiver	Null
Video Record	Yes
Video Support	MPEG4 / 3GPP / WMV
Audio Support	AMR/AAC/WAV/WMA/MP3
Voice Support	Recording, Speaker

Messaging

SMS	Yes
MMS	Yes
EMS	No
Email	Outlook Mobile, Direct Push Email

Connectivity

HSDPA	Yes
WIFI/WLAN	802.11b/g
3G	Yes
EDGE	Yes
GPRS	Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots)
Bluetooth	Yes, version 2.0 (A2DP)
USB Port	Yes
Infrared (IrDA)	Yes
Data Cable	ExtUSB (11-pin mini-USB and audio jack in one)

Software

Platform / OS	Windows Mobile 6.0 - Professional
Java (J2ME)	Yes
WAP	Yes Ver 2.0
Browser	Internet Explorer Mobile
Other Application	Windows Media Player 10, Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, Powerpoint Mobile, PDF viewer, ActiveSync, HTC Audio Manager, GPS

Personals

Themes	Yes
Caller ID	Photo Caller ID
ProfileID	Yes

Camera Specifications

Lens Type	CMOS, 2.0 Megapixel
Digital zoom
Max. Resolution	1600 x 1200 (Secondary VGA camera)
Flash	No
Night Mode	Yes
Extra Features
Photo Format
Video	Yes
Video Format

Now, of course, you must understand that there are many who prefer the touch factor in the new PDA phone thanks to the cool factor. My next post will be on the reliability, functionality of this PDA phone that cost so much more lesser than the "iPhone, Samsung OMNIA etc"...

I believe the new era of success will be technology but we must be savvy smart as well. Let's not be carried away by the advertisement and forget to look for the best bargain!!
After all, it is useless to be wasting money on the "cool" factor and forget about everything else...
There are similar update on my mobile at this page: se3ker

Stay tune for more...

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Five Helpful Ways To Repair Your Bad Credit

You should always try to better your credit score since an improved score helps you obtain a loan, an insurance policy or a job more easily. When you are searching for ways to repair your bad credit, your condition is similar to that of countless American citizens. You should not disregard your bad credit. If you don’t take appropriate measures to mend your credit history, the difficulty would get bigger and ultimately would spoil your financial future. However, there is hope for everyone. There are some solutions that can help you better your credit.

Five Useful Ways To Repair Your Bad Credit

Following are five useful tips to better your credit history and mend some undesirable habits:

Rebuild a strong payment history: You just have to maintain two credit cards and discontinue all the other cards. Choose one card that carries an attractive rewards program and have another for contingency situations. Anything further than this is hard to monitor and might tempt you to spend more.

Stay away from bankruptcies, collections and tax liens: These would be reflected on your credit report for a number of years. They might not hinder you in securing a loan, but you can anticipate a credit union or bank to ask for a higher rate from you. Make sure that you pay off any outstanding tax lien otherwise creditors can start harassing you.

Go for a secured credit card: Send an application for a secured credit card with a low credit limit. The interest rate for outstanding balances would be substantial so you must ensure that you always have sufficient cash available for making your payment. Be disciplined in your spending habits.

Begin by making payments on time: Delayed payments ruin your credit rating. Make timely payment of your bills in order to ensure that you don’t miss a payment. Give priority to your car and mortgage payments.

Keep track of your credit report: Every six months, get your credit report and ensure that there are no mistakes. Not only would this assist you to sustain the correctness of your credit report, but your rising score would work as a motivator to follow the program.

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Change the method

I was reading the newspaper when I come across this quotation by Mercedes-Benz President/CEO, Peter Honegg: 'With normal marketing methods, we cannot survive the crisis.'
That's right...life is all about crisis. In fact, everyday you wake up, you should know that you are waking up in a world full of crisis.

It is about being extraordinary and living beyond the norm to survive. Change THE METHOD!!

Even the recently passed away King Of Pop, MJ sing in his songs, MAN IN THE MIRROR...'gonna make a change, for once in my life'.

That's right. You need to make a change. If you are doing sales, you need to change the method of normal marketing strategy. You must be able to see beyond what others can see. If you can do that, then you are on your way to richness.

Survival is not as easy as everyone imagine. It is tough but you can do it, you can be successful in the realm of wealth if you dare to CHANGE!!

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How to become a millionaire

Ever dream of becoming a millionaire? Well, if that is your dream, I want to assure you that if you are willing to go the extra mile, that amount of money will come eventually.

Of course, the simplest way is to convert your money to yen....although you might find that the million yen value might not be the same as the million dollar we talking about here. :-)
Alright, jokes aside.

Some people no doubt has fantasies that are only achievable by few genius....becoming a millionaire in a few years time....some even go to the point of saying that becoming one in 5 years. Such time limit is unnecessary because firstly, it serves to hinder the concentration and most of the time, people fall and make stupid mistakes because of their impatience.

Becoming a millionaire isn’t all that difficult and there are countless ways to achieve that milestone. Some people do it through real estate, others start their own business, while some simply get lucky by winning the lottery or winning big on a game show. What is even more interesting is that you don’t have to be wealthy to begin with nor do you have to earn six figures to reach this goal.

Well, no doubt about it...
the first step: EARN INCOME!!

Logically, the more you earn, the faster it will be for you to earn your first million. Well, better still...get married and have someone work together with you. Two people working together will most often gain more income and the expenses usually does not increase that much.
Well, if you are an average income earner, you might need a longer time.
But even if you are not part of this group, all is not lost and hopeless for you. Remember that everything is determined by choice. The moment you make the choice to be a millionaire, there is a GREAT POWER within it. It might take a few years of slow growth but your consistency and insistent on becoming a millionaire will lead you there.

2: LIVE WITHIN WHAT YOU CAN AFFORD

Well, you have your income, what's next then? If you spend more than you can even afford, then you might as well just sit down in your home and don't work. Remember that your expenses cannot exceed your income. Well, saying this doesn't mean you must suffer through the years. What you are doing is to become an average user and not some "arrogant dude" trying to PRETEND TO BE RICH. Remember, someone who is rich does not necessarily spend unnecessary.

3: SAVE MONEY.

Now of course, even a 10 years old will know that you need to save money to have more money. It doesn't mean that only the rich can afford to save. I have known so many young adults with an income of not more 1000 bucks manage to save at least 100 per month. And that should be our starting point. 10% as savings as a start and we will see how we progress from there depending on your income.

4: INVEST!!!

If you think that savings alone will help you reach the millionaire status, think again. No doubt it is possible for the high income group but it is almost impossible for the average income earners and low income group. You want to be richer then invest!!
Why invest? First of all, everyone is doing business and therefore the best thing one can do is buy business in terms of shares and stock marker. You will get some dividend and as you continue to invest, you will see your share of profit increases!!

5: A famous sayings: Stick to the status quo!!

Stick to the status quo. Stick to the plan. Don't be so double minded that when you see a friend of yours driving a Ferrari and you intend to get one yourself before you are capable of that.
As far as income is concerned, always be on the lookout for ways to increase your income, whether it is through climbing the ladder at your current job, finding work elsewhere, or maybe even starting a business on the side. Increased income will mean you can save even more, provided you aren’t foolishly spending the additional money. As that additional money gets tucked away into savings or investments it will continue to grow even more quickly.

To be honest, it is almost as easy as a piece of cake if you are are willing to put your heart into it.
Work on your plans, stick to it, repeat it and you will slowly see more results!!

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It's all about money

You probably be surprised to read this post but this is the fact in today's society. Nothing matters more than this: Money. At least, generally money plays a crucial role in our society's today. And it hit even the sports' industry. The staunch Catholic in football, no one other than Kaka has finally been persuaded by money and fame to Real Madrid. Well, if Kaka is not a good example, Cristiano RONALDO definitely is. And how did he celebrate? With a celebrity known to many of us, Paris Hilton.

Yup...that's right...with money, you get the hot chicks as well...

this girl definitely is telling you this!!

Not only that in fact, with money, you can also be the one who change the world. Look at the richest man on Earth at the moment, back to Bill Gates after so long...and he's donating so much of his treasures to the community of this planet.

Well, survival is almost inseparable from money and if you are ready to make a difference in this world, be it for good or bad, you'll definitely need to survive better than most people.

You probably understand why I call this blog survival of the fittest. Because it is one planet continue to develop without waiting for you.

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Blogging isn't simple...

I have friends coming to me asking how did one blog and earn money from blogging. Some people even go to the extra mile in asking if it is possible to be earning full time through blogging alone. If you ask me, I will said: Yah..there are those who manage to do it. So I guess it's possible.

But my personal experience tells me that blogging isn't simple. and it is not about getting money alone from it. It is always difficult to blog about something that you are not into it. Something that you are not passionate about.

In Malaysia, we have famous blogs like Kennysia and mostly the other politician blogs.

If you read at how they consistently update their blog, your though of going full time blogger will simply be blown away.

Blogging isn't simple and it is a learning process...I'm learning here!!

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Insurance company?

fYup...you might be wondering what good is it to be looking at insurance company(shares) during this crisis. I can tell you that one of the fastest growing company will definitely be the insurance company although you may also say likewise, insurance company can be the fastest to go down.

Looking back at history, you will find that insurance company was started due to crisis. What sort of crisis? It is security that everyone long for. Although you might think that insurance company is a flop with the likes of AIG seems to be falling apart. But what about the biggest insurance company in US, AON who just had an agreement with one of the biggest football club in the world, Manchester United.

It would be silly to think of insurance company gaining the upper hand for many but even in my own country, Malaysia, companies like LPI and Great Eastern are still strong in their business.

Insurance is like a safety package to many. While there are many others who look at it as a waste of money. But this business is definitely going to have a big impact, be it for good or bad at these moment of crisis. It all depends on the psychological work of the community.

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Freelance

Sometimes, it's not easy to take up freelancing as a permanent job. After all, there is a BIG RISK involved, all the more if you have a family to support.

I believe most people venture out for freelance job in their early adult life. Most of them are probably just university students while some have just graduated. Freelancing will not be appropriate for people who are not financially stable, if you need it as a permanent job.

Freelance is something like starting a business on your own. If you have business, you have money. For freelancer, if you have projects, you have money.

Most people like to imagine themselves doing freelance job because of the benefits that freelance job can offer:

• Flexibility of time
• Most freelancers do jobs that they like and enjoy
• Working time is not fixed.
• You can go for holiday any time you want

No doubt about it, freelance offer what most people find it difficult to have..."free time".

But if you want to venture on this road, you must first take note of the risk.
Ask yourself...how are you going to support yourself if you don't have any projects for a few months? Will money be a problem for you?

It is crucial to understand these risks before one even consider about 'freelance'.

I am currently a freelance writer and blogger as well, but I don't depend on all these for my survival. These are what I consider as my extra income. (side income). Well, it's easy for me to do this as I'm still a university student and not much commitment is involved at the moment but things can be a little different for people who have family. There is a need to have a fixed income. Even as I started to venture into freelance, I made sure that I had stable income through my "private tuition" classes.

Freelance is definitely a way to push you further ahead of your peers, but it'll be wise not to be lured into freelancing without much preparation.

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Basics to investment

Before you invest, it is important to understand the basics to investment. The basic to investment is not something that you can understand without much hardwork. If you want to truly learn the basic to investment, you need to learn about various terms and understand how certain things work.

What You Should Know
Before you invest, it’s important to be as informed as possible about securities and markets. Further, you must stay informed and monitor your portfolio. This Financial Guide tells you what you need to know about markets and securities, and provides some basic suggestions on choosing an investment.


The world of investing can seem mind-boggling for a beginning investor and the amount of information required to be consumed can appear daunting. How do you decide what type of security to invest in? For example, should you choose stocks, bonds or some combination of investments? Should you invest in mutual funds? How do you choose a particular fund, stock or bond? How do you assess the risk to your money? So, if you want to master the basics to investment, here are some guidelines for you.

HOW SECURITIES ARE BOUGHT AND SOLD

The term "securities" encompasses a broad range of investments, including stocks, corporate bonds, government bonds, mutual funds, options, and municipal bonds. Investment contracts, through which investors pool money into a common enterprise managed for profit by a third party, are also securities. Securities may be traded on an organized exchange or traded "over the counter" between investors.

Exchanges

Securities are bought and sold in a number of different markets. The best known are the New York Stock Exchange and the American Stock Exchange, both located in New York City. In addition, six regional exchanges are located in cities throughout the country.

A corporation’s securities may be traded on an exchange only after the issuing company has applied to the exchange and met any listing standards relating, for example, to the company's assets, number of shares publicly held, and number of stockholders. Organized markets for other instruments, including standardized options, impose similar restrictions. The exchanges facilitate a liquid market for securities where buyers and sellers are brought together. Listing on an exchange, however, does not constitute approval of the securities or provide any assurance as to risk and return.

Over-The-Counter

Many securities are not traded on an exchange but are traded over the counter (OTC) through a large network of securities brokers and dealers. In the National Association of Securities Dealers' Automated Quotation System (NASDAQ), which is run by the National Association of Securities Dealers (NASD), trading in OTC stocks is done via on-line computer listings of bid, which asks prices and completes transactions.

Like the exchanges, NASDAQ has listing standards that must be met for securities to be traded in that market. Similar to an exchange it provides a "meeting place" for buyers and sellers. The typical investor generally will not know whether their security is bought or sold through and exchange or over the counter. The investor engages a broker who arranges the transaction in the appropriate market at the desired price.

Brokers

If you buy or sell securities on an exchange or over the counter, you will probably use a broker, and your direct contact will be with a registered representative. The registered representative, often called an account executive or financial consultant, must be registered with the National Association of Security Dealers (NASD), a self-regulatory organization whose operations are overseen by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), and with the states in which the broker is conducting business. The registered representative is the link between the investor and the traders and dealers who actually buy and sell securities on the floor of the exchange or elsewhere.

HOW PRICES ARE ESTABLISHED

How are the stock prices that appear in the financial section of the newspaper arrived at? Market prices for stocks traded over the counter and for those traded on exchanges are established in somewhat different ways.

Exchange Prices

The exchanges centralize trading in each security at one location—the floor of the exchange. There, auction principles of trading set the market price of a security according to current buying and selling interests. If such interests do not balance, designated floor members known as specialists are expected to step in to buy or sell for their own account, to a reasonable degree, as necessary to maintain an orderly market.

Over the Counter

In the OTC market, brokers acting on behalf of their customers (the investors) contact a brokerage firm which holds itself out as a market-maker in the specific security, and negotiate the most favorable purchase or sale price. Commissions received by brokers are then added to the purchase price or deducted from the sale price to arrive at the net price to the customer.

In some cases, a customer's brokerage firm may itself act as a dealer, either selling a security to a customer from its own inventory or buying it from the customer. In such cases, the broker hopes to make a profit on the purchase and sale of the security, but no commission is charged. Instead, a retail "mark up" is added to the price charged by the firm when a customer buys securities and a "mark down" is deducted from the price paid by the firm when a customer sells securities.

Bid and Ask Prices

In both cases, a stock is quoted in terms of bid and ask. The bid is the price at which the market or market maker is willing to buy the security from you. Similarly the ask is the price at which the market or market maker is willing to sell the security to you. Not surprising, the ask price is higher than the bid price. The difference between the two is called the spread. For example, if a stock is quoted 18-18 ¼ , this means that the investor could sell the stock for $18 a share or purchase the stock for $18.25. The higher the spread the more the market maker profits and the higher the cost to investors. Heavily traded securities typically have narrow spreads while infrequently traded securities can have wide spreads.

I think it probably is too much for you to learn the basics to investment, so I guess here is where I shall stop...:-)

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Holiday is over, now time to work...

I gave myself a short break after my final examination. Now that I had my break, I definitely feel more refreshed and am ready for working. I'm not the type settled for a job especially since I have plenty of time. I'm currently a private tutor and I have flexible time since I don't have to be working 8hours a day.

Anyway, I was just looking for a few options....part time blogger, freelance writer, and probably doing a bit of small business.

Well, I was thinking of working as a promoters for those fairs held in my hometown. The good thing is the pay is much better than usual. And there is not a need to be standing everyday in shopping complex. Just once in a while. This gives me the time to continue teaching my students and doing my other daily activities.

I guess that's all for now from me....will be searching for some part time jobs...if you have any good ideas, do drop me a comment here ya?

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Recession hit...what next?

I'm doing some research in the internet on the current economy situation. Seems terrible and honestly, I'm thankful that I've yet to embark on the working world yet. It probably is a better route to remain in the tertiary education to earn more skills, as well as knowledge. After all, it'll help to create a ME that's more analytic and critical at the situation or circumstances that I might be facing.

I used to ask my mom about what it takes to be successful. Being a conservative as she is, she told me that it requires "hardwork" but really, is that all it takes? I wonder...and yet I knew that it's that inspiration from such mothers that will push me forward. I'm thankful to have such supportive and caring mother. Well, I guess this post is suitable since Mother's Day is so near....should acknowledge our mother's effort in bringing us up...right? oops...I'm getting side-tracked now...aiks!!

is this what our Earth becoming? sinking??

Well, back to the title...now that recession hit even in Malaysia...what's next? For those in Perak, maybe you're more caught up with the comical political scenario

Cops going against the civilians...we still have time for such politic game...

Well, I think that's what happen when we're too caught up with our own life....Ipoh town has never really been that "active" and probably that's why we're not too aware of the hit. But for those in KL, especially fresh grad that finds it hard to find jobs, these 'politic games' definitely has nothing to do with them.

I'm not the type who care nothing for my state but I guess for now, that's nothing that I can do. So it's better that I stay alert on the current economy flow.
Well, the question still goes back to what's next after this hit? Recovery as history shows us? I believe so but how will these continue to lead us onto?

I believe the Earth is a sinking system that eventually will lead us to a fall so great that has never been seen before. Trace back to history, we'll see how great nations fall at the peak....and I believe it'll come a time when the Earth will fall....probably that's how the idea of "Matrix", "IRobot" and other future sort of movies come up with. The idea of how mankind will fall.

Look at countries like Indonesia, Thailand, and now drawing closer to my own country, Malaysia...politically unstable. USA, the giant of this era....probably is slowly fading...What about China? The supposedly upcoming giant. But history tells us how China fall again and again due to their own battle within. India was a mess itself as well....only the rich seems to be enjoying much there while you can see how the poor suffer to their death.

So my conclusion? Yes, the world is slowly sinking....people try to make a difference but it is definitely not working. Probably if we watch Batman: Dark Knight, we'll see what it means by a failed community.

And like the Batman, we'll need a "hero". At least a figure of a hero...something that America's president, Barrack Obama is trying to achieve. It's not a bad effort but it's not good enough.
I believe it'll be an effort of a community. Probably something that online communities could afford to create....maybe in blogosphere? Some sort of ideology spread through the net? something like that and we all need to be aware...the days of our "unseen consequences in our action" has long gone. The judgement day is coming soon....not as in end of the Earth of that sort...but something like that and we all need to learn to deal with that, sooner or later...

Good luck!!

our aging planet? is it still in balance? time will tell!!

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Back to blogging...

It seems quite a while since my disappearance. And I guess that's what happen when there are too many other commitments. But somehow we will learn to manage all these commitments sooner or later. It's good to be learning it now.

Anyway exam was good. I'm glad it's over and I can have the time to be blogging here....the internet connection inside the hostel was terrible. Sigh!!

It'll be good to be able to share my experience inside the hostel but I'll leave it for the coming post...was rather sleepy after a whole night of lepaking!! haha! :-)
Cheers for the exam's over!!

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