To fellow readers who are celebrating the Year of the Ox this 26th January:

Happy holidays and have a great celebration!

The Managing Director of PLUS, Noorizah Abd Hamid expects Malaysian drivers to be Ghost-riders?

Via MyPennySense.com…

Class 1 motorists using the North-South Expressway and the North-South Expressway Central Link (Elite) highways will enjoy a 10% discount on toll fees in conjunction with Chinese New Year.

Highway concessionaire PLUS managing director Noorizah Abd Hamid said in a statement yesterday that the discount would be applicable from 12.01am to 7am on Jan 21, 22, 23, 26, 29 and 30.

It is in addition to the 10% discount already enjoyed by Class 1 vehicles travelling during off-peak hours on both expressways since Jan 1, she added.

PLUS did not take into consideration the people who have problem driving at night, or those who might have worked so hard in the day, and because of the enticing 10% discount, drives in half-hibernating mode, and ended up causing accidents along the highway. The 10% discount might just not be worth the troubles!

To PLUS: We (road users) are not dumb, your hypocritical discount just passes you off as an insincere corporate citizen. Not only did you flexed your media muscles with the wrong strategy, you’ve also underestimated the intelligence of the average road users.

Anyway, if you really want to exploit the Ghost-rider discount, just make sure you are fit to drive at night. Use a night-vision goggle if you have to or stock up caffeine (not sure if there is a legal limit) in the car.

A more responsible act would be to place more Ronda personnel along the highway, especially on accident-prone stretches. Maybe giving free coffee or snacks at the R&R stops could easily get drivers to take a break on their long journey home.

Anything is better than enticing drivers to drive past midnight! Yawnnn….

According to Australian scientists who conducted global research on modern office space designs (via Joel), open plan offices are causing the following:

- high level of stress
- workplace conflict
- high blood pressure
- high staff turnover
- lose concentration
- low productivity
- feeling of insecurity
- susceptible to airborne virus

I’ve always prefer a non-cubicle, conventional walled office space. It’s very distracting hearing people talking over the phone and neither do I feel comfortable having phone conversation with people within hearing distance. It’s not just about privacy. Rather, it’s about showing some courtesy and consideration for other people who are trying to concentrate on their work without the additional stress.

Open plan office designs are, in my opinion, a disastrous attempt in cutting cost and is detrimental to an efficient working environment.

Oops…while trying to make some french toast for tea break, I broke an egg.

That’s how it is. No matter how you can picture the egg being part of a nice delicacy, you can’t really say for sure until you have devour it into your mouth. In other words, you can’t count your eggs until you’ve eaten them.

That 30-year home loan is another example. Yes, you can pay by installments. When the times are good, no problem. But when the times are not so good, you might even have problem showing up. 30 year is a long time, long enough for anything to happen. Yet, you can always refinance, and stretch your debt even longer. Banks love customers like you.

Same goes to the the credit card story. There’s nothing wrong with the plastic, it’s just how you interact with it. When you swipe, you tell yourself, “Ahh…no worries, I just need to make sure I work harder this month and close the pending deals!”. The next day, your best clients just signed up with another competitor.

That car installment you are paying through your nose. You know you can hardly afford the 2-door Bimmer, but you need the ‘feel good’ factor and you probably find it difficult to pick up girls with a Proton Iswara. Suddenly, you find yourself retrenched from the workforce. And the bank comes knocking every morning asking you for the keys.

It’s so easy to spend and it’s even easier to over-spent. If you can solve the spending problem, you are half-way to debt-free. The next half is easier than you think- be enterprising and start something with your skills.

Remind yourself, what happens when you break an egg?

I think we are going to see more of these in the headlines…

On 13 January 2009, Bank Negara Malaysia raided Gemilang Mirza Sdn Bhd under Section 25(1) Banking and Financial Institutions Act 1989 (BAFIA) and Section 4(1) of Anti-Money Laundering and Anti-Terrorism Financing Act 2001 (AMLATFA). Section 25(1) of BAFIA 1989 prohibits any person from receiving, taking, or accepting deposits without having a valid license, whereas Section 4(1) of AMLATFA 2001 prohibits any person from engaging in, or attempting to engage in, or abetting the commission of money laundering activities.

The raid on Gemilang Mirza Sdn Bhd was conducted at the premise of its company in Papar, Sabah following complaints received from members of the public. Relevant assets and documents of the company were seized for purpose of investigation.

More…

Here are a few links to Gemilang Riza related information:

Discussion forum on Topix

http://gemilang4u.blogspot.com/

The decline and fall of the United States? The global financial system? Or capitalism?

Martin Armstrong (October, 2008) Its Just Time [77p.]