Current Issue, IT/ Computing

RM200 Smartphone Rebate Online Registration Starts 1st Jan 2013

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Under Budget 2013, the government has announced a RM200 rebate program for youth which is also know as Youth Communication Package (Pakej Komunikasi Belia). Under this program, Malaysian youth under certain requirements can purchase a brand new 3G Smartphone with a RM200 discount.

Date:

1st Jan – 31st Dec 2013

Criteria to get RM200 Rebate:

-Only applies to Malaysian citizens from the ages of 21-30.

-Monthly income of RM3,000 & below.

-Smartphone models below the price of RM500.

-Each youth is only entitled to purchase one smartphone.

-Customers can either use their existing mobile broadband or apply for new packages.

 

* Get more terms & conditions HERE

* List of approved devices / models & authorized dealers will be made available on telco’s website starting from 1 January 2013

Interested candidate can log on to skmm.gov.my & start register for your phone rebate application online.

 

 

 

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Current Issue, Movies/ Entertainment

Doomsday Preppers

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Following a year when the daily news cycle has been dominated by financial instability, government coups and the latest disaster footage, one group of people believes this year could be their last. Whether anticipating a natural disaster like an earthquake or massive solar flare, or a manmade catastrophe such as economic collapse or nuclear winter, these men and women stand united in their unshakable certainty that we will soon faces tougher times – times when grocery stores are empty, water is in short supply, and electricity is unavailable.

Delve into the lives of otherwise ordinary citizens who are preparing for the end of the world as we know it in the new series Doomsday Preppers, premiering 17 September at 9.00pm on National Geographic Channel (Astro Ch 553) and thereafter every Monday at 9.00pm.

Doomsday Preppers goes inside the prepping subculture, uncovering a wide assortment of prepping styles and approaches, meeting preppers on their own turf, examining their methods and tracking progress as they think through every logistic and contingency plan. Preppers come in all shapes and sizes – men and women, young and old, they live and work like others. But their ultimate life goal is preparing for the end.

While stockpiles of food and weapons may seem over the top preparations to some, for doomsday preppers they represent basic responsibility and peace of mind. They will go to whatever lengths deemed necessary to make sure they are prepared if basic services should falter, and chaos and violence become the order of the day. Though unique in their beliefs, motivations and strategies, these preppers are planning ahead for a time when hardship and hunger turns citizens against each other.

Each prepper also receives an expert assessment from Practical Preppers, a company founded by long-time preppers who share their experiences and knowledge through teaching, training and consulting. The experts analyse the preppers’ chances of survival if their worst fears become a reality and they have to put their plans into action. Viewers are left to make their own decision as to whether the preppers are practical planners… or just plain paranoid.

Episodes Include:

 

Doomsday Preppers: I Hope I Am Crazy (17 September, Monday, 9.00pm)

Meet four individuals who prove that preppers do not come in just one shape or size. Kellene Bishop, a self-described foodie, amazes her friends by whipping up a dinner party entirely from shelf-stable foods, proving she will not sacrifice the finer things in a financial disaster. She also teaches a quick-draw shooting class and a hand-to-hand combat class that will help women protect themselves in case a massive economic collapse should breed lawlessness. Dennis Evers has trained his children with special skills to withstand a catastrophic financial collapse. His oldest son shows us how he can fashion bows and arrows for security, his daughters weld and stockpile fuel, his wife cans massive amounts of food, and his son-in-law is working on a solar-powered satellite system that will allow the family to communicate if chaos should break out due to hyperinflation. From his farm, prepper David Sarti calls himself the “hillybilly prepper.” Should our nation’s communications and transportation systems falter after an EMP — an electro-magnetic pulse, or sudden burst of energy caused by a solar flare that can take out any electrical appliance on a nationwide scale — he is prepared to use his home as a communications hub for post-Apocalyptic America, using amateur or Ham Radio which requires no phone lines, no internet and can be run completely on battery or solar power. And Kathy Harrison is a self-described New England liberal, preparing for “the big one.” In the event of a massive earthquake, she and members of her like-minded community are working together to garden, sew, can, and generally prepare for a world where supermarkets and retail stores are a thing of the past.

 

Doomsday Preppers: Back To The Stone Age (24 September, Monday, 9.00pm)

 

R.E.M’s “It’s the End of the World as We Know It” might be a good mantra for these three individuals who are readying for the end of days. Phoenix dad Tim Ralston is prepared for an EMP attack on America. He built a shipping container specially outfitted for survival purposes and taught his sons to defend the compound with weapons. Jason Charles is a New York Firefighter, preparing for the eruption of the Yellowstone super volcano. He’s storing MREs and water in his city apartment. Pat Brabble is a church-going Southern gentleman with a twist: he believes our country is on the brink of hyperinflation, which will unleash civil unrest all across the country. To prepare, Pat readied a secret room in his barn that is full of guns, ammo, and plenty of alcohol for trade.

 

Doomsday Preppers: Nine Meals Away From Anarchy (1 October, Monday, 9.00pm)

 

Are you prepared for the end of the world? These men hope they are. Mike Mester fears an imminent economic collapse will bring violence and rioting to his quiet suburban town outside of Atlanta. To prepare, Mike involves his whole family in stockpiling food, fuel, and weapons. He’s even trained his two German Shepherds to act as protection dogs when things collapse. Preston White, a computer programmer from Colorado believes there is a cover-up surrounding Japan’s damaged Fukushima Daiichi power plant. So he’s collected 11,000 types of seeds to help him grow his own food after a radioactive disaster. If doomsday arrives, Riley Cooper has invested his savings into a bug out shelter he hopes will protect his family from a catastrophic polar shift.

 

Doomsday Preppers: It’s All Gonna Hit The Fan (8 October, Monday, 9.00pm)

 

We meet three Americans who are making huge personal sacrifices to prepare for the end of the world as we know it. Former police officer Martin Colvill is a mobile prepper, who keeps all his supplies in the cab of his big rig truck. Utah grandmother Donna Nash is preparing to quarantine her loved ones if they contract a deadly pandemic, and Kevin O’Brien is uprooting his entire family to save them from the polar shift he believes will sink Florida.

 

Doomsday Preppers: Friends Can Become Enemies (15 October, Monday, 9.00pm)

 

We meet four Americans who give their all when it comes to preparedness. Real estate developer Larry Hall is creating luxury survival condos in an old missile silo. Coloradan Riley Cook is readying his family to live in a high-altitude bunker. Michael Patrick Douglas is training his children in primitive survival skills. Becky Brown is taking sharpshooting lessons with a sniper in order to prepare herself for a government takeover of Salt Lake City.

 

Doomsday Preppers: Into The Spider Hole (22 October, Monday, 9.00pm)

We meet three Americans who are desperately preparing for a great worldwide catastrophe. Californian Doug Huffman has plans to retreat underground when we face the next Great depression. The hippy loving Ed Peden is living in an 18,000 square foot underground strong nuclear structure. And the vibrant Canadian, Dianne Rogers is haunted by a reoccurring dream that she thinks is a glimpse of her future.

 

Doomsday Preppers: It’s Gonna Get Worse (29 October, Monday, 9.00pm)

In the eighth episode we discover the unique lives of three average Americans as they invite us in their home to show us their preparations for the end of the world as we know it. San Diego psychiatrist, Bradford Frank, is stockpiling medication in hopes of surviving a pandemic. Loving father and husband, Jeremy (last name not revealed by request), is predicting a catastrophic oil crisis, and is prepping his truck to run off alternate substances. Bruce Beach has built a bunker out of school buses to survive a full-out Nuclear War.

About National Geographic Channels International

 

National Geographic Channels International (NGCI) inspires viewers through its smart, innovative programming that questions what we know, how we view the world and what drives us forward. A business enterprise owned by National Geographic Ventures and FOX Entertainment Group, NGCI contributes to the National Geographic Society’s commitment to exploration, conservation and education through its six channels: National Geographic Channel, National Geographic Channel HD, Nat Geo Wild, Nat Geo Wild HD, Nat Geo Adventure and Nat Geo Music. Globally, National Geographic Channel (including NGC U.S., which is a joint venture of NGV and Fox Cable Networks Group) is available in 435 million homes in 173 countries and 37 languages. For more information, please visit www.natgeotv.com.

 

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Current Issue

Oppa Ramen Style

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Have you been ‘Gangnam-ed’ yet? Well, as most of you are probably aware of, I’ve been away for quite some time from the cyber space because of the lack of home Internet, so I’m kinda immune to those viral stuff that’s going on in most social media platforms.

I may be immune to those viral stuff for the time being (like the Oppa Gangnam thingie), but I’m definitely not immune to clearance sales with great bargain.

Check out the picture above. They are my loot from Cold Storage: 4 big bowls of instant Korean ramen, 6 cups of Korean ramen, 2 bags of spicy Korean prawn crackers, 2 cans of Cherry ade and 2 big bottles of Promegranate juice. Grand total: rm30.80.

Any Korean food addict will say it’s quite a worth buy, so if you’re interested to get hold on these Korean food items for a cheap price, head over to Lower Ground of Low Yatt Plaza/ Times Square, Kuala Lumpur before 9th September 2012.

 

Cleffairy: Shopping is way cheaper than a therapist.

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Current Issue

Let’s Stop 114A

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Do you care about Internet freedom?

I DO, and I am against 114A bill, because I am a social media user, and it will affect me negatively if 114A bill is passed. Therefore, I am posting this for all of my readers to see.

Section 114A holds the following people accountable for publishing content online:

(1) those who own, administrate, or edit websites open to public contributors, such as online forums or blogs;

(2) those who provide webhosting services or Internet access; and(3) those own the computer or mobile device used to publish content online.In other words, if allegedly defamatory content is traced back to your username, electronic device, and/or WiFi network, Section 114A presumes you are guilty of publishing illicit content on the Internet.

But what if you were the victim of identity theft and a hacker wrongfully used your Twitter or Facebook account to post defamatory content?

Under Section 114A, you are still considered guilty until proven innocent.

To find out more about this issue, visit https://stop114a.wordpress.com/

On 14 August 2012, the Centre for Independent Journalism (CIJ) invites all netizens and online organisations to support Internet Blackout Day.

It’s the next big step for the Stop 114A campaign. Much like the U.S. Blackout to oppose the SOPA bill, this effort will focus on educating Malaysians about the negative impact of the new amendment.

Let’s protest against this. For more information on how you can play a part in stopping this? Kindly head over HERE

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Beauty/Healthcare, Current Issue, Food/Travel

Low GL growing up milk

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How many times you shop for your groceries every month? I do it once a week, and I find it quite a feat these days as the price of things are pointing to the sky and have no signs of going down anytime soon. It’s pretty hard to keep my expenditures strictly to the budget these days.

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Last Friday, I went for my grocery shopping routine again. When I passed by the milk powder aisles, I got rather confused.

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Why confused? Well, plenty of growing up milk powder now has this label “No sugar”, “Sugar-free” or “No-added sugar”, “No Sucrose”, “Reduced sugar” on the packaging.  If I were to be honest with you, I could say that most of the growing up tins have these labels. I wonder how true is their claims? As far as I’m concerned, there is only one brand in particular that is proven to really have no added sugars in it’s formula.

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Mamil Gold (claims that they have no sucrose)

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S-26 (claims no sucrose in their milk)

I noticed that the brand Mamil Gold says that their milk has “no sucrose”, Ductch Lady “reduced sugar”, while S26 Gold, Nan and Snow “no sucrose” and “no added sugar” respectively.

Those “No sugar”, “Sugar-free” or “No-added sugar”, “No Sucrose”, “Reduced sugar” is somewhat misleading concerned parents out there, I must say. I’ve read in the newspaper Harian Metro and the Health Today magazine not long ago that recent research studies has called in to question some of these claims.

The truth is, these claims made by some milk companies only focus on single type of added sugar in the milk formula. If they’re to make a claim that their milk really has no added sugars, they need to exclude glucose syrup solids, corn syrup solids, dextrin and maltodextrin from their ingredients. This is because these ingredients are actually added sugars too. They are in fact, scientific names for added sugar.

According to studies and scientific research, growing up milk powder in Malaysia has too much added sugar in it. Why do I say this? Well, elementary my dear readers. Most growing up milk has a high GL level.

So you know what ‘GL’ is? Have no idea? Well, GL is an abbreviation for Glycemic Load, and it is the unit used to measure the changes of sugar level in the bloodstream of a child after drinking a glass of growing up milk. A high GL means the milk has a lot of added sugars, which causes the sugar levels in the bloodstream to rise too high and too fast. A low GL means the milk has low or zero added sugars, so the sugar levels in the bloodstream stay in a healthier balance.

So far, there is only one brand of growing up milk in the market that has a low GL. The rest, despite of their claims on “no sucrose”, “no added sugar”, “reduced sugar” on their packaging and labels, still have high GL levels. This could only mean one thing; these brands are misleading the parents and the consumers with their claims.

I’m sure most of the parents out there are aware that food experts, paediatricians and child nutritionists do not encourage children to take food that is too sweet or has too many added sugars in it as it could bring serious health implications like diabetes, obesity, hyperactivity as well as dental cavities. So if you’re really concerned about the added sugars in your child’s growing up milk, you should check the labels carefully and do not let your children consume growing up milks with high added sugars, period!

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Remember there is only one brand with a low GL. What is this brand? Anmum Essential of course! I would strongly suggest that you go for this brand instead of blindly believing the claims made by other milk companies.

I know it’s always confusing to read and decipher the ingredients in your children’s growing up milk and to determine whether or not the milk powder contains added sugars or not, but do keep it in mind that as long as the label contains these words: glucose syrup solids, corn syrup solids, dextrin or maltodextrin, then it does contain added sugars.

Cleffairy: Take a look HERE and HERE  if you’re interested about this issue and wants to find out more about added sugars in your children’s growing up milk powder

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Current Issue

BERSIH 3.0 locations

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Joining the crowd to fight for a clean election? Or just wanna avoid the crowd, the traffic congestion and mass panic? Here’s the location for BERSIH 3.0. Do take note if you’re planning to go out tomorrow. It might be useful, whatever you’re planning to do outside tomorrow.

Cleffairy: Stay safe, everyone. No matter what you do.

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A Penny For Your Thoughts, Beauty/Healthcare, Current Issue

Pests are not pets

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Pests. What do you think of them? Oh, you know, disgusting creatures like insects,rodents and whatnot? I hate pests. Hate is an understatement. I loathe pests, actually, even though I have some soft spots for animals in my heart.

I don’t know what went wrong, but recently I discovered that some of my books and some of the furnitures are being destroyed by pests. I can’t be sure what it is. Is it termites? Roaches? I have no idea…but there are tiny holes everywhere, evidently being eaten by unidentified insects. I couldn’t find the source, but I have taken the initiative to get rid of whatever pests there is by using insecticides.

There are no evidence of any pests, though. So far I have yet to see the remains of termites or roaches anywhere after using the insecticide. 🙁 And yet the destruction continues.

This is really upsetting and very annoying. Not sure what to do to stop those unseen enemies from destroying my things and my furnitures. Should I call pest control when I don’t even know where those pests are? I heard pest control can be quite costly. Would they be able to trace those rotten pests for me? I wouldn’t want to waste unnecessary time and money by calling pest control. And besides, I have a young child and a precious pet at home, so I am not really sure if I’m comfortable using excessive chemical that could actually bring them harm at home if not monitored properly. 🙁

Any suggestion on what should I do? Any natural remedies you guys can share with me? 🙁 I’m really sick and tired of using those sprays and having to mop and clean up those things with dettol and stuff because I’m afraid that my boy and my cat will get poisoned by the residues.

Cleffairy: Expensive lesson learned. As soon as you identify any pests, just kill them. One should never have any mercy towards pests. They are destructive and you should always get rid of them at first glance or they will breed trouble for you and your entire household.

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A Penny For Your Thoughts, Current Issue, IT/ Computing

Cool Things about Facebook

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Everyone’s favorite social network recently got a facelift. The new Facebook includes several new features, including the Timeline structure. While users can still currently use the old wall, Timeline is quickly becoming the norm. Here’s what you need to know about the revised Facebook:

  • The Timeline – Overall, Timeline has proven to be a lot more pleasing to users than Facebook’s last big rollout, the News Feed. There are likely a few reasons for this greater acceptance. While the Timeline makes it a bit easier to peer into the lives of your friends, it seems social network users are more comfortable with opening up online these days. The Timeline itself is a cool feature which was has worked fairly seamlessly since it arrived. From a business angle, Facebook’s constant evolution makes sense; on the Internet, excitement is practically a prerequisite of success.
    What’s cool about Timeline? It presents information in a much more visually stimulating way. Instead of a single column of recent wall posts, there are two columns of information. In these columns, similar events are aggregated and others are highlighted. This makes it easier for you to curate your profile to reflect where you’ve been and what you’re into. It changes the profile from a pure communication tool into a more comprehensive online journal.
  • Social Apps – New applications have also been added that are designed to leverage the social nature of Facebook (rather than games or quizzes which you complete by yourself). For example, Netflix and the music streaming service Spotify have recently added Facebook apps. These allow you to see what your friends are listening to and watching and can help you discover new media or other things which are interesting to you. From an Internet marketing standpoint, this is genius, as it allows users to incorporate brands into their online lives. If you’re interested in the nuts and bolts of Internet marketing, consider getting a marketing degree online.
  • Life Events and Place Tags – Part of the transition from the wall to Timeline has been the creation of life events and place tags. Life events are a way to add momentous occasions to your profile, such as moving, traveling or getting married. You can tag friends or loved ones in your life events and the event will also show up on their profile. Place tags have been around for a while, but they are now integrated into Timeline. Along with your photo albums and “Likes,” users can click on a map which shows all the place tags you have added to your profile.

 

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Current Issue, Event coverage

Suspended F1 Cars.

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I’m still having F1 fever…so bear with me. Okay, what’s the difference between a powerful car and a stud in bed? I’d say…not really much, cuz we can ride them hard and fast and they’re still well lubricated and have the stamina to get keep on going.

And like a stud who is up to perform, powerful cars like F1 cars, can not only be driven fast and hard, but it can also be suspended in the air…just like these…

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Cool, isn’t it?

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In my opinion, this is not just cool, but sexy as well. Looking at a car like this can actually make my heart race faster…
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It makes me feel so high.
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Cuz in truth, no one can actually see the underside of an F1 car under normal circumstances. You’d only be able to see it only if an F1 driver had and accident or something and the car was flipped over for the world to see.

Cleffairy: You got my body shakin’

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A Penny For Your Thoughts, Current Issue, Event coverage

Petronas Malaysia F1 Grand Prix Street Concert in KLCC

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It’s the year 2012 and it’s been a decade since I live in Kuala Lumpur, capital city of Malaysia, and nothing about Kuala Lumpur seems to amuse or amaze me anymore. Everything became ordinary to me and slowly, I stopped taking a break to fully absorb the true beauty of Kuala Lumpur and what this lively city has to offer.

Life in Kuala Lumpur is much more exciting and happening if you stop for awhile to see what’s going on around you. Kuala Lumpur is much more exhilirating if you see it from a tourist’s or a globetrotter’s point of view.

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Kuala Lumpur is basically a concrete jungle, and a home to the iconic Petronas Twin Tower.

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This majestic building have been a witness to many touristy events, and no doubt it’s not going to stop being a host to many more interesting events in the future. I was in KLCc earlier and discovered that this place will be hosting a street concert in conjunction of the upcoming Formula 1 Grand Prix 2012 in Sepang Circuit. Yep…the F1 fever is back.
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You might wonder what these folks are doing. Well, they are taking a break from building this

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And this
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The stage is rather huge, and many renown local and foreign artists will be entertaining on this stage for the Petronas Malaysia F1 Street Concert.

Will it be a blast? I don’t know. This is something you have to find out yourself.

The concert will be held on 23rd March 2012 from 6.30pm-2.30am at Plaza KLCC. Since this is a street concert,no tickets is needed and you may just drop by and have fun.

Cleffairy: When was the last time you stop walking or driving so fast and just be grateful of what you have and enjoy what the world have to offer?

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