SiteMaze - Forum

Elections USA (by: roger - 2008 Nov 17 @ 01:40:00)

I am surprised this thread slipped through. I have been following the US election avidly and like Obama message of unity and change.

One thing amazing about Obama's campaign is his donor campaign on the middle class that help him raise more than 600bn$. It is democracy at it's grassroots. He will not need to rely on corporate lobbyists and pursue an agenda for America's middle class.

The media loves him, the world loves him. Despite the polarity in America, his message of a centrist policy that both sides can agree is hugely popular. He is the best orator that world has known in the past decades. I loved watching his speeches, very motivating.

www.youtube.com/barckobama

Tata Nano & Singur (by: formosa - 2008 Nov 11 @ 05:07:55)

nano is gone now ... the chinese eyes on singur ..

The West Bengal government is going to showcase Singur land before the First Automobile Works Limited (FAW), the Chinese automobile manufacturer, which was in Kolkata.

http://www.dhapa.com/forget-nano-chinese-car-maker-eyes-bengal/

How do you feel without access to a computer ? (by: roger - 2008 Nov 05 @ 07:17:47)

I have been very buzy with work. I have changed my career to finance & banking and have to start all over.

Certified Translation for official use in Malaysia and overseas (by: thcheok - 2008 Oct 31 @ 01:04:31)

About My Location:

From LDP Highway (from the side of Kelana Jaya), you have two options: First, you may take the SS2 Exit (exit 1107 Persimpangan SS2 Petaling Jaya, Selangor 47300 ) where you can see several petrol stations), turn right into Jalan SS2/55, then turn left into Jalan SS2/24 (at a corner where you can see several banks, CIMB and Affin on your left, RHB on your right), pass a traffic light and turn left into Jalan SS2/72, underneath an overhead pedestrian footbridge ; Second, you can take the SS2 U-turn after passing Kolej Damansara Utama(KDU) by keeping left (not going into the tunnel) and then right for the U-turn into the other side of LDP, keep left and then after a short distance, turn left into Jalan SS2/2(down a slope, this is the first exit into SS2), drive ahead, you can see the SS2 fire brigade station (Bomba SS2), turn left into Jalan SS2/95, you will see SRK Taman Sea at the corner. Turn left into Jalan SS2/72. Along the road you will see a condominium known as Ken 3, the work site of Ameera Residences with a signboard that reads the beginning of something extraordinary. Then stop at the road-side car park beside Jasmine Towers to look for a double-storey house painted in mango yellow.

If you come from LDP highway from the side of One Utama, keep left after going through a tunnel and then after a short distance, turn left into Jalan SS2/2(down a slope, this is the first exit into SS2), drive ahead, you can see the SS2 fire brigade station (Bomba SS2), turn left into Jalan SS2/95, you will see SRK Taman Sea at the corner. Turn left into Jalan SS2/72. Along the road you will see a condominium known as Ken 3, the work site of Ameera Residences with a signboard that reads the beginning of something extraordinary. Then stop at the road-side car park beside Jasmine Towers to look for a double-storey house painted in mango yellow.

From Federal Highway linking Klang and Kuala Lumpur: you may take Jalan Barat Exit. Pass by Menara Axis and Asia Jaya LRT station.Drive ahead and turn left into Jalan Semangat. Then come to the Sin Chew/ Rothman roundabout. Take the 12 O'clock turn into Jalan 19/8, followed by SS2/24. You will pass by Jalan SS2/72 underneath an overhead bridge. However, there is a road divider blocking your way into Jalan SS2/72. Hence you need to seek a U-turn or anything to this effect.  You can turn right into Jalan SS2/75 in a traffic light. Pass by a BhP petrol station. Then turn left into Jalan SS2/60. Pass by SS2 Police Station. Drive to the end into Jalan SS2/55. See a CIMB bank. Turn left. Then come to a traffic light, with Affin bank on your left and RHB bank on your right. Turn left into Jalan SS2/24, back to the previous stretch of road. Pass by a traffic light and several bridal galleries. Drive ahead and turn left into Jalan SS2/72 underneath an overhead pedestrian footbridge.

If you come from Jalan University, you may pass by
University Malaya Medical Centre which has  a reference map as follows :
http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&q=UNIVERSITI+MALAYA+MEDICAL+CENTRE,++KUALA+LUMPUR&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=X&oi=geocode_result&resnum=1&ct=image

Pass by University Hospital and Universiti Malaya. Drive up the flyover. Here you have 2 options: First, turn right into Jalan 17/1 at a traffic light. Turn left into Jalan 17/22 at another traffic light. Pass by a SHELL station. Drive to the end and turn left into Jalan 17/21 at another traffic light.  Keep right into Jalan 17/21L, a one-way down-hill road. Turn left into Jalan 19/13. Turn right into Jalan 19/22.Pass by a playground /field and cross a bridge (Sungai Penchala). Drive to the end and turn left into Jalan SS2/72; Second, drive straight to the end of Jalan Universiti. Get into the Sin Chew / Rothman roundabout and take the 3 o'clock turn into Jalan 19/8. Pass by Nanking Restaurant. Turn right into Jalan SS2/75 at a traffic light on SS2/24. Pass by a BhP petrol station. Turn left  into Jalan SS2/60.  Drive to the end and turn left into Jalan SS2/55. Pass by several banks (CIMB, Affin and RHB ) and turn left into Jalan SS2/24 again  at another traffic light. This has the same result as that of making a U-turn back to the same stretch  of road on Jalan SS2/24 again. Drive ahead and pass through the first SS2/24 traffic light. Turn left into Jalan SS2/72 beneath an overhead pedestrian bridge.

How is life in Canada in general? (by: Jackal - 2008 Oct 23 @ 05:32:45)

quote:
Originally posted by aaron_wong

Life sucks,but evenetually you will get the hang of it!

Hey buddy, you sound like you have lost the " fire " you had inside to go all out to do things in Taiwan.

Below is a real life story..

Bruce Richall is an IT consultant based in the affluent Connecticut suburb of Westport. He describes how the loss of his job at a multinational bank triggered a rapid spiral into poverty. Having depleted his savings and unable to afford rent, he now sleeps in the back of his car.

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In the back of my mind, I hoped it wouldn't happen to me.

I saw bank workers being escorted off the property, clutching their boxes. It was very chilling to witness departing co-workers.

The bank where I worked had already undergone a series of lay-offs in the previous months.

I really liked my job and wanted to keep it. I joined in February, and having worked for many years as an IT contractor - with its inherent instability - this position offered the potential of a full-time position. It could become a "secure" job.

But when security guards made simple, routine rounds through the cubes and offices, people would look up from their desks.

There would be a sigh of relief as the guards kept going.

I never thought it would ever come down to this, but here I am - homeless

But it didn't happen this time. On a Friday, my manager came to my desk. Usually he came by to ask me if I could put in some overtime. But, just by the look on his face, I could tell. This wasn't an overtime request. This is it, I said to myself.

Sure enough, I was told that my last day would be the end of the month.

Though I didn't show it outwardly, I was devastated.

I would have another month before leaving so that I could start yet another job search. I immediately contacted my agency to let them know that the assignment would be ending.

My last day at the bank was bitter-sweet. There was a cake and a card. We joked but inside I was truly frightened. I asked myself what would happen to me now, in such a difficult job market? Would I become homeless?

At the end of my last day, my manager came downstairs with me. We had a cigarette and talked.

"Bruce, if I can get you back here, you know I will," he said. His words were kind and well-intentioned.

My life today has changed dramatically since my brief tenure with the bank.

Now I'm facing a very uncertain future.

I now sleep in the back of my car, while I wait for a bed to become available at the shelter. I call it The Hotel Honda

I'm no longer collecting a nice pay check, going to work every day and returning home at night. I'm no longer a part of the team I so enjoyed working with.

Months passed as my savings gradually dwindled. I was only collecting a small unemployment check from a low paying "between-jobs" job that I had prior to signing on with the bank.

I had to move from my apartment, put my belongings in storage and find a homeless shelter.

I now sleep in the back of my car, while I wait for a bed to become available at the shelter. I call it The Hotel Honda.

I keep a good suit and a dress shirt in the back of the car for interviews. I tell recruiters that I'm working.

This is not the life I imagined for myself when I graduated from university. I never thought it would ever come down to this, but here I am - homeless.

What galls me the most is that about one third of my income is taxed. I'm taxed on what I earn and taxed on what I spend
Unlike the Europeans, we in the US don't have much of a social safety net.

My meagre unemployment income is too high to let me qualify for Social Services, yet far too inadequate to pay for my home, food, car, utilities and health insurance.

I have hypertension, yet I can't afford a doctor, the emergency room or vital medication. I need a corrective eye surgery that I can't afford. Even routine check-ups are out of reach.

My meals are taken at a soup kitchen. This is poverty.

What galls me the most is that about one third of my income is taxed. I'm taxed on what I earn and taxed on what I spend.

Now that I'm in need there is nowhere to turn.

Nobody is helping me except for my contributions to my unemployment account.

Yet our leaders have found a way to bail out the very institutions that have put myself, and others, at risk.

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Beta: Create Homepage (by: thcheok - 2008 Oct 08 @ 19:41:34)

Dear Sitemaze Administrator, it seems that my website is not working.
When I click on the website
http://wowchinese.com/member/thcheok
only html files appear. This problem has been detected since 03 October 2008. When I open the Homepage Editor, all the constructed pages which are viewable on the editable screen, do not show up their browsable images when I click on the [View Page] button. Appreciate your reply. Thank you.

Singapore NIGHT time Grand Prix (by: Jackal - 2008 Oct 07 @ 03:31:21)

Did anyone go to see the first ever NIGHT time GP
held in Singapore ? Any pictures or clips ?

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Palakkad fort was built by Hyder Ali, the ruler of Mysore (by: formosa - 2008 Oct 02 @ 02:28:20)

link building SPAMMER >.<

Elections Canada (by: Jackal - 2008 Sep 27 @ 03:19:05)

quote:
Originally posted by vin_diesel

I am voting for.... because....

Point #6: I cannot vote I am a PR ?

Why can't a PR vote ?
Anyway, whoever wins, got a can of worms to clear from
the previous administration.

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Inflation - commodity price increase (by: gillberk - 2008 Sep 22 @ 12:43:32)

Inflation has remained high, largely reflecting sharp increases in the prices of globally traded commodities.If inflation is just a general increase in prices, as popular thinking has it, then why is it regarded as bad news? What kind of damage does it do?Mainstream economists maintain that inflation causes speculative buying, which generates waste. Inflation, it is maintained, also erodes the real incomes of pensioners and low-income earners and causes a misallocation of resources. Inflation, it is argued, also undermines real economic growth.

-------------------------

gillberk

LINK BUILDING

China Catching up in every circle... (by: Jackal - 2008 Sep 11 @ 19:44:03)

Pettersen and Pressel join China line-up
The first-ever LPGA Tour event in China received a nice boost when organisers were able to confirm the participation of world number four Suzann Pettersen and Morgan Pressel.

In a press release on Wednesday, it was announced that the pair will join already-confirmed Annika Sorenstam and Tseng Yani in the line-up for the October 24-26 tournanet at the Hainan West Coast Golf Club in Haikou, the capital of Hainan island.

Pettersen became the first Norwegian to win on the LPGA Tour when she won the Michelob ULTRA Open in Kingsmill in 2007. That was one of five victories last season, which helped her finish second on the money list. She was quoted as saying in the release:

�All of us on Tour are getting more and more excited about the LPGA visiting China for the first time. It is not often you get the chance to be a part of something that is so significant for the game, such as playing an elite event in a new country for the first time, and that is a very special privilege for all of us.�

Pressel became the youngest major winner in April last year when she triumphed at the Kraft Nabisco Championship at 18 years, 10 months and nine days.

The tournament is open to the leading 51 available players on the LPGA money list as of September 28, 2008, plus eight Chinese professionals and four invitations.

China is seen as the last great golfing frontier to be exploited. The men�s game is well established in the country, having already established their own professional tour.

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FFFF (by: dctpl - 2008 Sep 07 @ 04:42:54)

This is very clearly targetting ASIANS. (by: Jackal - 2008 Aug 28 @ 19:29:28)

What has English speaking got to do with " Swinging the Golf Club ".
Too many young Korean, Japanese, Taiwan lady golfers coming into the scene now. So, the USA based LPGA slaps a silly rule. The Asain players go to USA to compete, not to take a PR. I bet many people with PR also don't speak a word of English. Isn't this racism ? S.S. Chowrasia speaks in HINDI during interviews. He was a grass cutter and caddy in RCGC before but his earnings this year has topped US$ 500,000.

LPGA Adopts "English-Only" Rules
Tuesday August 26, 2008
In an exclusive report posted on Golfweek.com, Golfweek senior writer Beth Ann Baldry reveals that the LPGA has become the first golf tour in the world to adopt an "official language." Beginning at the end of 2009, members of the LPGA Tour will undergo "oral evaluations" of their proficiency at speaking English. Those who fail will be suspended from the tour.
Presumably, this rule will apply only to golfers for whom English is not their native language, although the Tour may want to test all players and also suspend those with too many ums, you knows, likes and whatevers.

While there are 121 international players on the LPGA Tour, 45 of those are Korean, and many more Asian, and this rule is surely aimed squarely at the Asian players. English and Korean (or Japanese, or various Chinese dialects and other languages spoken in Asia) are completely dissimilar from English, evolved from different language families, and for an adult who speaks one to learn the other is, well, hard.

Add in the nerves that many young Asian players surely feel trying to conduct interviews, add in the whole cultural consideration of living in a new country, add in - in some cases - a good dose of basic shyness, and doing your interviews in English or chatting up your pro-am playing partners is a difficult thing.

But that's what the new rules are about: interviews, pro-ams, pleasing the sponsors ... marketing, in other words. The LPGA is desperate to improve its marketing, to fans, for sure, but especially to existing and potential sponsors.

The specifics of the new rules have yet to be set down in writing. Baldry reports that some players were first notified at a mandatory meeting for Korean players on Aug. 20. The Tour has been notifying players on the Futures Tour, plus college programs, of the new English proficiency requirements. And all players will be required to conduct interviews and press conferences in English, without the aid of an interpreter.

Golfweek's report said that every Korean player they spoke with believed they would lose their Tour card for failing the language test. But most of them said, publicly anyway, that they understood or even supported the new rules. A sampling:

Se Ri Pak: "We agree we should speak some English. We play so good overall. When you win, you should give your speech in English. ... Mostly what comes out is nerves. Totally different language in front of camera. You're excited and not thinking in English."

Seon Hwa Lee: "The economy is bad, and we are losing sponsors. Everybody understands."

Jeong Jang: "We are fine. We just need to get confidence in (front of) the camera. ... When Cristie Kerr won (in 2005) at Michelob (Ultra Open), first thing she said to the camera was, 'I need a beer.' I still remember that. Sponsors must be proud."
The LPGA has been moving in an international direction for many years, with its membership becoming less homogeonous all the time. And recently, Commissioner Carolyn Bivens has been steering the tour into more overseas stops. There are almost as many tournaments outside the U.S. now as inside the U.S.

Is the LPGA Tour the best golf tour in the world for all female golfers, one that welcomes everyone who is qualified to play it, or is an "American tour" that doesn't want too many of those foreigners involved?

Golfweek quoted Kate Peters, executive director of the LPGA State Farm Classic, saying it's the latter: "This is an American tour. It is important for sponsors to be able to interact with players and have a positive experience."

Marketing. But Commissioner Bivens has been focusing strongly on Asia, where women's golf is big business. In fact, the LPGA's television deals in Asia are the only ones on which the tour actually makes money.

So should the Tour be cognizant of marketing to Asian sponsors, too? Should the Americans all be required to learn Korean and Japanese?

Most of the Asian players (and other internationals) on the LPGA Tour are already fine speaking English. And the LPGA has had a language program in place for many years to help non-English speakers.

Hopefully, the new rules will simply light a fire under those players who have not been taking their English studies as seriously as they should, and no player will ever need to be suspended.

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Was ( IS) it WORTH it ? (by: Jackal - 2008 Aug 28 @ 19:14:09)

quote:
Originally posted by davidli2k

quote:
I really dont know what the figure would land upto if we divided 300 million on this 3.5 trillion. 100,000 -- 10,000 -- 1,000 or just 100 bucks each ?? Can somebody give me an answer for this equation ?

Well, lemme help you here :
A Trillion is one followed by 12 zeros...so 1 Trillion = 1,000,000,000,000. So 3.5 Trillion is 3,500,000,000,000.

A Million, on the other hand, is one followed by 6 Zeros...so 1 Million = 1,000,000 & 300 Million = 300,000,000.

Now dividing 3,500,000,000,000 by 300,000,000, we get $11666.6667!!!...That's a lot of money for each American if Bush had decided not to go to war. .

quote:
There hasnt been World War 3 for the past 60 years. Countries using money for War or using money for War are just bluffing their citizens (See Taiwan for the past many years, Chen S.Bien) using all the money in the name of War in case China attacks but all went into his generations accounts. China was smart, went the economic way and built up the nation in 20 years by not using all this money on War Materials, like fighter jets, bombs, cannons etc. which has to be devalued or replaced every 5 or 6 years.
I somewhat agree with you here but when it comes to National defense & Homeland Security, no country takes this issue lightly and China is no exception. Their defense budget for the year 2000 was estimated at approx. 14.6 Billion...In early 2001, China's publicly-acknowledged defense budget of over $17 billion for 2001 was higher than the defense budgets of neighboring countries India, Taiwan, and South Korea. In 2002, China increased military spending in 2002 by 17.6 percent, or $3 billion, bringing the publicly reported total to $20 billion.

China again increased its budget to $22 billion in 2003 (about 185.3 billion RMB). In March 2007, China announced that it would increase its annual defense budget by 17.8% over the previous year, to $45 billion.

In March 2008, China's State Council submitted a proposal to a National People's Congress session to consider the approval of 417.8 billion yuan -- about US$57.22 billion -- in defense spending for the country in 2008.

On the other hand, the defense budget for the ROC military was reduced annually during the 1990s and became more and more open to public scrutiny. The downward trend in ROC military expenditures was especially evident in fiscal 1994, when the budget shrank 4.65 percent.

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) had a budget of US $9.57 billion for Fiscal Year 1996, which began July 1, 1995, a 2 percent increase over the previous year's budget. Taiwan's National Defense budget amounted to New Taiwan Dollars (NTD) 274.78 billion or approximately USD 9.46 billion, for fiscal year 1998.

Taiwan plans to increase defense spending by 16.4 percent in 2008, to 341.1 billion Taiwan dollars, the cabinet has announced, seeking to strengthen the island's military in response to a rising threat from China.

The defense spending, about US$10.3 billion, will account for 20.1 percent of total government spending in 2008, which the cabinet has set at almost 1.7 trillion Taiwan dollars, the largest portion of all outlays, the statistics bureau said Wednesday.

Taiwan's military spending is still only a quarter of China's official military spending this year of $45 billion, a 17.8 percent increase from 2006, and a Pentagon report in May said Beijing's military-related spending could be more than double the official figure.

And lastly.....the Gold Medal for biggest Military spending goes to...none other than Uncle Sam..."For FY 2008, the Bush administration has requested $647.3 billion to cover the costs of national defense and war. This includes the Defense Department budget ($483 billion), some smaller defense-related accounts ($22.6 billion), and the projected FY 2008 cost of Iraq, Afghanistan, and counter-terror operations ($141.7 billion). However, it does not include non-DOD expenditures for homeland security ($36.4 billion) or the Veterans' Affairs budget ($84.4 billion). Nor does it include the request for supplemental funds for outstanding FY 2007 war costs ($93.4 billion)."

The question here is whether SENDING troops for the TWO wars was worth it or not.
Accumulating and spending on arms is a seperate issue which every country spends on.  These two wars have affected the public very badly. Money is still being spent to keep the soldiers there.

More Coalition solders have lost their lives after the war till today than what the toll was during the war !! What if you were a parent and your son is posted in Kabul and not knowing whether or when he will come home ?
Six months ago Hillary and Obama were going after each others throats like sworn enemies. Six hours ago we see her in CNN, ENDORSING him as the PERFECT man suited to be the " commander in chief". Money, my friend.  Money makes the world go around.

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The Chen Shui Bian debacle (by: Jackal - 2008 Aug 26 @ 19:04:39)

quote:
Originally posted by roger

The longer the trial goes, the worse is for Ah-Bian. KMT would like to keep reminding the public about the alleged corruption of Ah-bian even after 8 years when Ma will step down.

The DPP is playing a smart game saying HE is on his own.. Isn't their fault.  He is smart because he was a lawyer before. He claims
all his financial stuffs were handled by his wife.. His wife being
a cripple can't be imprisoned on health reasons.  His son and daughter inlaw claim they didn't know HOW the money came into their accounts.. But, he knew there was enough money to buy a Jaguar and travel ten to twenty times to places like the Cayman Islands in a year.
As I have said before in another thread, if it was Pakistan or India
their whole family would have been dragged out and burnt alive on the streets.  Politics is making a show and money.  Why didn't the
KMT  make him step down and resign when they won over 80% of the Legislative Seats..  It would have saved the tax payers money in giving him pension and bodyguards.  Politics is " you scratch my back,  and I scratch your back "..

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