I was writing and uploading this post using the Jurassic era 56K internet line. Why? Because after years of deploying the broadband service (which actually is constricted these days, if compared to our neighboring country’s broadband who is running at 6Mbps.), it didn’t hit TM’s leader’s exceptional corporate business mind to set up a port at my hometown – Kluang.

Kluang, although many may not have heard of this place, is definitely not an “ulu kampong” area nor a remote slow-moving “pekan” where you need to travel km after km of winding road snaking through the oil palm estate before reaching. It is a TOWN, alias BANDARAYA, for god’s sake. No wonder after applying Streamyx for 2 months, not a soul has turned up with the modem till my father went back to question them. 

TM Customer Service: Encik ada apa hal?

Dad: Sudah 2 bulan, tapi tak ada orang datang pasang apa-apa pun, kenapa?

TM CS: Tunggu sekejap ye, biar saya “check”. After  2 minutes. 

TM CS: Encik, you punya tempat tak ada port, tak boleh pasang lah.

Dad: Takda port, kenapa you punya agen minta saya sain kontrak?

TM CS: Siapa suruh encik apply?

Dad: … 

WTF? How could the customer service agent treat customer like that? And, obviously, there is a huge miscommunication within this communication giant (only in Malaysia).

So again, the way I see it, the karma runs in circle:

Less applicants à wait till there is sufficient demand before adding ports à customer wait and get frustrated à customer withdraw applications à demand quota remains low à No port à No customer à No business à Company bankrupt…. 

CEO of TMNET(and yes, I couldn't get your name because the TMNET website took like hours to load through my 56K modem.), is this how your corporation is running business? Actually, I wouldn’t be surprise as you have predecessors like PROTON and MAS. I am just chagrin that you didn’t learn a nickel from them. *shake my head and sigh.

If so, I have a prophecy for you from Zion: TMNET is going to go down real soon, like the 013 service which was beaten terribly out of business a decade ago, once the other telcos offer broadband service with a competitive price (like the wireless broadband launched by TM's sister company - Celcom). And by the way in this era where everybody owns a cellphone, who needs a line? 1Mbps vs 6Mbps…pft

Is that air that you are breathing?

I am going for Broadband 1800...:p 

After 2 weeks of hard work tuning those 16 parameters and finally got the best result. I realised the model used all along by the datuk-datuk and nenek-nenek moyang before me is WRONG!

After those late nights without watching America's Next Top Model, Heroes...

Those early mornings where I will jog to school 7am, bath and reach the lab god damn early at 8.30am.

After 24/7 sitting front of the bloody PC for weeks, tweaking the variables till I nearly get RSI after Bells Palsy...

The moment I confirmed that the model was wrong, I was like:

ps:cmos, thanks for the pic. It somehow resonate with my feeling now. kena stun + bash + watever ultimate.

Still working in the lab at this hour, like the good ol' days in Al-Terror.

My sup ask if I want to participate in a conference in Salt Lake City in May. So soon? I was barely 3 months old here, dude.

So here I am, applying my idea in my experiment. Crossing my fingers, hoping for the best. Hopefully, I have some salient outcomes for my paper and I am able to make it before the deadline.

Adios amigos!

This CNY will be a very hectic one...

Going back on eve noon, should be able to reach home in time for the reunion dinner. Then on the 2nd night of CNY, will be on a flight to Penang, then head straight to Parit Buntar. And on the 4th day, will be taking the night bus straight down south...Hopefully, the bus driver is not one who's loaded with multiple summonses and deprived of sleep...*omitho hoot.

Sin Chew Jit Poh (10/11/2007) reported the drop in ranking of our local universities from the latest THES-QS World University Rankings 2007. UKM and UM which were ranked at 185 and 195 last year are ranked at 309 and 246 respectivey this year. So this year, no Malaysian university made it to the top 200. Bolehland, still boleh?

Sad.

“I admit we are not world-class but we are working hard to improve ourselves.” UM Vice Chansellor, Datuk Rafiah Salim.

What? After 58 years, we are still not a world-class uni? Malaysia Boleh? Boleh...lah.

Depress. 

The UM VC was frustrated due to the changes in part of the methodology in the survey which weighted on peer reviewers (40%) and citations per faculty (20%).

Think, should the world measure us using our own rulers? Think again, how could we be so vulnerable and was disqualified so easily once the game plan was changed? Talking about globalization...  

She added that Malaysian universities are receiving insufficient funding as compared to world-class universities.

“If we hope to achieve world-class status, we also need to look at how much investment goes into world-class universities,” she said, comparing the National University of Singapore’s annual operating budget of S$1.2bil (RM2.8bil) with UM’s RM400mil. 

Why is so little money being channelled to Malaysian universities? Erm, ask Hishammuddin or the PM. But, maybe I have the answer here and here.

UKM insisted that the standard of the local universities hasn't change eventhough they are out of the chart.

Of course, I agree to this. The standard is the same, just that some other people around the globe gets better and better...we are still the same after 50 years...still the same. And I think that is why, some ulu university in Africa can also beat us like nobody's business.

Shouldn't we also question the transparency of student admission and the hiring of lecturers or the "kulit-fication" quota which contribute to the lack of academic rigour?

Yes, laugh all you want and send more bangla to space.

Really felt the pinch when I have to pay RM1.20 for a capati today.

I can't stop to think that the recent price rise in almost everything, from petrol to toll, raw sugar to flour, has nothing to do with the making of our very first Angkasawan. Damn, the price hike has become a cyclical thing.

In case you don't know, the first Malaysian spaceman was actually sponsored by all citizens of Bolehland thru a US$900 million (RM3.4 billion) contract for 18 Sukhoi aircrafts with the Russians. Actually with the population of 24,821,286 Bolehans, each of us only forked out RM136.97 to send some part time model up to outer space to repeat some world-breaking experiments already conducted by some Kingston University's researchers back in 2005. By the way, I managed to google and learnt about microgravity and space radiation on cancer cells (which was the mission of our Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor) which cost me only...erm RM77 the most?  

Why do we need to get these fighter jets?

Well, other than defence purposes, the fighter jets would be used to safeguard our oil resources just in case somebody named Bush suddenly diverts his attention from the Middle East and decided to siphon our precious petroleum. And, because we are rich. Ooooh, I see.

Why do we send someone up there to repeat other people's experiment?

I think maybe he (Dr Sheikh Muszaphar Shukor) don't know how to google gua...And also, because we are rich. Ooooh, liddat ar.

Why can't we use the money to conduct our own research in astronomy and expand our technology to build our own spacecraft like what China did? In this way we are able to produce our own Angkasawans.

Erm...because we are rich but not that rich? Oooooh, han zi!

So after the Angkasawan returned safely, what significant results or breakthrough has he brought back to Bolehland thru the top spinning experiments? 

Erm, so far...nothing, if I did not miss anything from the papers. Can anyone tell me? But, he did prove that we are rich mah. Ooooooh...

So it make sense since all of us are so damn rich, we shouldn't whine for a mere 20% increase in milk powder, right? Breast feed if you can't afford lor...

I have seen emails flying around stating that there will be a RM0.70 hike in petrol next year and 10% increment in toll rate. I truly believe this will happen, because we are sending the second space tourist space man to space don't know for what for some very important tasks, probably to polish Yury Malenchenko's teeth. Stay tune!

Say one serene morning when you are driving your little Kancil along a double-lane road, on the right lane. And this red car on the left lane in front of you cut into your lane. How would you react?

The weather nowadays is so predictable...

We always start with a bleak morning...and it's always drizzling...

Erm, the Nine Majesty Deity belum tiba heaven kot.

Anyway, some virus outburst is raking havoc in the place I cari makan and the effect is bound to be dire.

Bird flu, they say...I wonder how Ikan caught it.

Ok, though I am not a porridge aficionado. But this is really one of the best way to start your day, especially if you are ill. *Koff koff

I would like to propose a toast, to Ikan: Speedy recovery! And hope this fiasco will die off immaturely!

Here you go, the pork porridge + yao cha guai...

The best and only in Kluang! 

This is the sequel to A Trip Back Home.

Okay, the good news is, Kluang Railcoffee has established a new branch opposite the one and only Kluang Parade. It has it's own catchword as well: It's a local Motion.

Apparently, the shop owner spend quite a bomb on the decoration to preserve the quaint appearance of the old railway station which reeks of pre-war history and charm.

But one glance at the interior, you would notice the resemblance of Old Town Kopitiam embedded in the ambience. I foresee a multi-million franchise chain in the rising.    

Despite the larger space which accomodates more tables and chairs, it's still as pack than ever like the original coffee shop in the morning and we have to wait for ~10 minutes for a seat. *Gasp

Anytime after 9am, the infamous nasi lemak would be automatically off the menu. As the adage goes, early bird catches the worm mah. After we pounced on the coveted seats, I signalled the waiter to clean up our table and take down our orders and then I took a second gasp when I saw the menu. Wah, the food and beverages are also as pricey as Old Town Kopitiam!

RM 3.00 for lemon juice! Our dear Abdullah Badawi, PM cum Finance Minister, the inflation rate damn jialat leh! Unlike the 3.0% rate as declared by Zeti leh! (Nowadays there is a notion whereby if there's any hike in price in almost anything, people tends to screw the government.) It's a Rail Tradition:)

Do beh chia mea? As usual, we ordered coffee + steam kaya bun + half-boiled eggs. The aroma of the coffee is still the same, so is the steam bun, rich with margerine and kaya.

What a fulfilling way to start the day!