Diving Trip 2011

Went to Tioman (again) during the weekend.

Yup....obviously it was another dive trip....

This time, I went with my old school mates and we went to Kampung Salang. For some, Salang is the most happening place in Tioman.For me though, it was my first ever visit to Kampung Salang. If I'm not wrong, my last visit to Tioman was about a year ago. Hence, for me to come back to Tioman again was always a welcome. I used to go to Zai Tioman Dive Center at Kampung Paya (which is about 15 minutes boat ride to Salang). In fact, the last 3 visits to Tioman I had was staying at Paya Village.




Last year, I only did 2 'official' dive trips and 1 'un-official' trip to Pulau Sembilan. Quite bad huh?

Well, diving is merely a hobby for me and I can only wish that I can do more diving trips if time permits...It's kinda hard when you got so many things to do at any one time. Heheheh.

Now that I have successfully gained my Advance Open Water Cert, I might try to go for the Rescue Diver course. Let's see la if I can do that this year. I hope to go to Sipadan before the end of the year though.....

Anyway, back to the recent dive trip, I managed to do 4 dives...which I think it was ok considering the fact that I went home earlier than the rest of the group.

The vis wasn't great as you can see from my pic below. I think at most, the vis was at 10 meters. The current was strong at Tiger Reef. We needed a bouy line to descent and ascent. Hehehe.

The most enjoyable dive was at Labas. Lots of 'swim-through' which I found very interesting. If I was a newly certified diver, I wouldn't dare to go for a swin-through. Nearly the end of the dive at Labas, I felt slightly nauseated. Perhaps it was due to the 2 bungkus of nasi lemak I had for breakfast....heheheh

To be honest, I learn a valuable lesson during the last dive I had. I had a problem with my BCD. Well...not the BCD to be exact, but it was the nut that was holding the back plate and the tank. During the night dive at Salang Jetty and while we were doing the customary safety stop, I felt something strange as if, someone was pulling my tank and my regulator to the right. The dive master then came up to me and showed me a sign that there was a problem with my BCD. So I went up to the surface with him and he told me that my tank was slanting...being almost as close as being horizontal. Hence, I made my way up to the jetty and quickly look at my BCD and I realised that the 'screw and nut' that was holding the back plate and the tank was missing.

Perhaps, it was loose even before I did the night dive as I felt my tank was slightly moving during the earlier dive.

Anyway, I bought the nut and the screw at a local hardware shop near my office on Monday and it only costs RM1. Hehehehehehe. As shown in the pic below.

The original nut/screw/washer is on the right and the RM1 nut/screw/washer is on the left.

Funny eh? For a Rm1 worth of screw and nut could cost a human's life. Interesting and scary fact at the same time eh?

Anyway, I enjoyed the trip as a whole although I hated the journey to and from Tioman. Hope to be back in Tioman again later next month. Heheheheh

A doctor in the house

YEss!!! Finally, I managed to grab a copy of this book at Borders, Tropicana Mall during the weekend. RM100 well spent!!

I told myself that I should finish reading RObbin's book first before purchasing Tun's but I can't simply resist.

I've been fortunate enough to meet Tun at a few functions (although never had the opportunity to talk to him)

I don't mind saying that he is a legend, a hero and an inspiration to many Malaysians including myself.

Up till last night, I've read almost a quarter of the book.

Although I've yet to read every page of the book, from I what I've read so far, I like what he writes. His words and english is very simple to understand....

I'm so looking forward to complete reading it...

Tun, you're my inspiration and thank you for everything!!

Loan Application

Someone close to me wanted to buy a new car.

He is earning about 3k. Up until last week, he drives a local car which he paid about RM500 a month for the monthly installments. Then he has to pay for his Bank Rakyat personal loan monthly installments about RM300. Next, he is paying about RM250 per month for his ASB loan.

Apart from that, a credit card balance of about RM4k is still outstanding. I was made to understand that he has not paid 2 monthly installment for his car due to reasons only known to him

Up to today, he has no asset as yet....

Now, he wanted to buy a new ride. He decided to go for a Korean car amounting to about RM95k. After submitting the loan application, his application was rejected. He then shifts his attention to Honda that costs around RM90k. X bank only approves 85% instead of the usual 90%....which means, he has to fork out about RM13k to buy the car. Erkkk!!

I tried to speak to him about getting a new car is not easy. It's gonna cost a lot of money. To make matters worse, he has since sold off his car to a second hand car dealer for only RM17.5k. His previous balance with the bank for the old car is about RM16k. So, he has a balance of about RM1.5k from that transaction. Disposing a local car for a profit is a good business sense I think. Heheheheh....

He is disappointed obviously. I tried to speak to him about not spending more that what you can afford but it seems, he is very determined to purchase that Honda.

Don't get me wrong, I'm just worried about his financial standings and at that age of 32, he needs to be thinking of building assets instead of 'owning' depreciating assets. I strongly recommend that he should get a MyVi or something below RM65k. If he does get what he wished, he will have to pay about RM1k for the monthly installments for the car. I think....I really think, ini adalah langkah yg kurang bijak....Moreover, when you have to spend RM13k for the deposit/booking....lagilah kurang bijak....I would rather pay RM13k deposit to purchase a property....

Which brings me to another story. Another guy who is related to me, wants to purchase a sports car that amounts to RM200k (maybe more...maybe less). His pay? I don't have a clue but was told that his expenses (rental, fuel, misc, bills) is being paid the parents. He is now close to 30. I wished I could help and advise but who am I lah kan?

How lah to talk to people like this? This is one of the problems of our people nowadays. We always want more than what we actually need. Sometimes, we just cannot see the problems but instead keep on lying to ourselves that we can afford it....

To be honest, when I decided to change for a new car, it took me 6 months to think it over. Plus, only after calculating my household budgets, incomes and expenditures that we took the decision to change. Only after things that I planned materialized, that I decided to change. It wasn't easy and I was a wee bit lucky as I was driving a Honda previously and hence, the value of the car is not as bad if you were to compare it to Protons or Nazas. I only spent RM1k for the purchase of the new car. Nothing more...and nothing less. Since the trade in value is quite high and the balance of the loan was minimal, I had significant balance of 'cash' that was used to purchase the new ride. Hence, the loan amount that I took was not as much as 90%.


Anyway, back to the story, I'm pretty sure, based on my knowledge, he will face problems in managing his finances.

If I could advice, I would only say, we must not live beyond our means. Sometimes, we have to realized who we are and accept things as they are. If you want more, you'll just have to work hard and smart for it. Find yourself some additional income to support your wants and needs. Read books about personal development and personal finance management. I don't wanna be seen as an idiot who wants to teach a fish on how to swim, but sometimes, some people just refused to accept things as they are....

This is funny.....

Man....I really like this guy (even though I don't know him personally)....

I really admire the way he write his blogs....

Have fun reading it....

http://syedsoutsidethebox.blogspot.com/

.......paving the way for the oil brigade............

The US of A, the Brits and coalition (??) forces has bombed Libya. Citing reasons such as protecting the general Libyans from their general Gaddafi. The Americans claiming that it is their interest in protecting the people of Libya.

Gila kah?

Just wondering though, if there is no oil in Libya, would the Americans and their allies 'attack' and protects the Libyans?

Now let's look at Bahrain. There was a demonstration in Manama attended by thousands and thousands of anti-govt protesters. It is claimed that some of the people didn't like the way al-khalifa is ruling the country....

Almost the same story, but the Americans (and the rest) didn't attack but Saudi Arabia sent their army instead....

The theory of the invisible hand is getting stronger and clearer!!

Bloody hell...



Read further here:

Bahrain ‘invasion’: why isn’t Cameron bothered?

One rule for Gaddafi in Libya - quite another for the al-Khalifa family ruling Bahrain

The Brezhnev Doctrine is back and this time round the British government approves. One thousand Saudi Arabian soldiers arrived in Bahrain yesterday to help the Sunni ruling family restore order after a month of pro-democracy demonstrations by largely Shia opposition groups.

The Saudis are desperate to put a stop to the unrest sweeping the region and are particularly worried about their own restive Shia-dominated Eastern Province on the coast opposite Bahrain.

The main Bahraini opposition groups have condemned the Saudi move as an invasion and that's certainly what it looks like.

Surprisingly, given David Cameron's Palmerstonian vapours about Libya, there was not a murmur from Downing Street.

Cameron clearly believes that for the grisly Gaddafi clan to use violence on their own people is a moral outrage. But when the almost-as-grisly al-Khalifas, who run Bahrain, ship in the Saudi army to do their dirty work that's apparently OK. What's sauce for the goose is definitely not sauce for the gander.

Originally, a pearl fishing harbour, Bahrain has always had a slightly raffish and shady air - with the delights of flesh and grape more readily available than in Saudi.

It belonged for a long time to the Iranians who still think it should be theirs. From 1861 to the early 1970s the territory belonged to the UK although until 1947 we let the Indian government run it.

Not blessed with masses of oil, it has developed a large financial services sector and makes money from duty free shopping and tourism. A few years ago Bernie Ecclestone thought it was a good place for a Formula One grand prix ­ cancelled this year because of the unrest. The Duke of York, it goes without saying, is a frequent visitor and buddy of the Bahraini royal family. You get the picture.

It's a small place - the CIA Factbook says "3.5 times the size of Washington DC", though "slightly larger than the Isle of Man" gives a better idea as it is actually an island. Or was until 1986 when it was linked to the Saudi Arabian mainland by the King Fahd Causeway.

Since then it has become a Rest & Recreation centre for Saudi men seeking to escape the kingdom's stifling restrictions and the Mutawa or morality police. On Thursday nights ­ - the start of the weekend - it's four blokes to a car and bumper-to-bumper traffic on the causeway. 'Working girls' from as far away as Newcastle and Amsterdam fly in to strut their stuff in the hotel lobbies.

The Saudi border police are relaxed about locals leaving the kingdom on a binge providing their papers are in order. But cars are searched thoroughly on return for alcohol, pornography or bibles.

To the Western visitor, everything looks well organised and calm. But behind the tinted plate-glass and air conditioning there is a real political problem. Seventy per cent of the indigenous population are Shia Muslims.

The ruling family and just about anyone of power and consequence are Sunni ­ except for the United States Fifth Fleet, with its huge base outside the capital, which is presumably mostly Christian.

The Shias find it difficult to get jobs in the civil service and are forbidden to join the army or police. They are a down-trodden, poor and discriminated against majority and they are fed up with it. Their principal demand is for a new constitution and free and fair elections.

If the Bahraini demonstrators cannot be persuaded or intimidated to leave the approaches to the financial district, where they are currently camped, then the Saudi army may well be used to force them out violently.

Let's hope it won't come to that. But there is an uncomfortable lesson in this affair for the British government and people. Just as there was a moral cost to our support for Gaddafi's "apparently benign" despotism, there is a moral cost to our continuing support for other "apparently benign" despots in the Middle East

Read more: http://www.thefirstpost.co.uk/76366,news-comment,news-politics,saudi-arabia-invades-bahrain-why-is-david-cameron-not-bothered#ixzz1HHpaJypX

Alamak!!...Duit tak cukup.....???

Masalah wang?

Hutang bertimbun?

Serabot kepala otak? (ayat kasar sikit nih)

Nak tido pikir duit...

Bangun tido pikir duit....

Nak beli keta baru kena pakai duit....

Beli jeans baru 2-3 helai pakai Credit Card.....sampai statement tepuk dahi sbb byk sangat outstanding....

Nak bayar 5% minimum payment pun pening...

Gaji tak seberapa....tapi belanja bagai nak rak....

Sounds familiar?

This E-book 'Celik Wang' should be read by everyone!!

It is THAT important.....

Download here...

http://www.akpk.org.my/Portals/1/downloads/Celik_Wang.pdf

Thanks to AKPK for producing such a wonderful, informative book for everyone to read....

Anyway, I'll always remember these words.....

1. Manage your finances well!!-Uncle Zainuddin
2. We mustn't live beyond our means!!-My dad

Reading.....

I've got few hobbies...

Travelling, golf, exercising, scuba diving are some of it...

But reading? Not a great fan of it since I was a boy but I do make it a point to read at least an article per day....(I know my level of English sux but I'll keep on improving hence, that's the reason for me reading an English article per day)

What about books? Well...like I said, I seldom read books but I try to read some if and when I find the correct and interesting ones...especially if it involves topics that interests me like self developments, properties, investing and golf....:P

I'm not a great fan of reading novels. I know my wife likes to read novels. I tried, but I felt sleepy after the fifth page....

I like to read golf magazines. I think, I spent about RM50 monthly buying golf magazines. Usually, I'll buy 2 or 3 magazines at the same time and finish reading it after about an hour or two after that....heheheh

Anyways, went to Ikano last night to buy some groceries and managed to drag myself to the bookstore. I think, the name of the bookstore is Popular Bookstore. The first section I went to was the golf magazine section which I managed to grab 2 golf magazines..... (which I completed reading before I dozzed off)

Just before I went out of the bookstore, I saw a book written by Tun Mahathir titled 'A Doctor in the house'. It costs about RM100. Thought of buying it but for some strange reason I put it back.
Maybe, it's because I'm currently reading 'Awaken the sleeping giant within-by Anthony Robbins'. The book was given to me from a gentleman who is also a succesful Amway distributor in 2004.

I know I should have start reading it ages ago but only started reading it last Sunday. Since Sunday, I think I've managed to read about 100 pages. Not bad for someone who doesn't like to read kan? Hahaha. To be honest, I can't wait to continue reading it later when I get home. It's good. Really good. Perhaps, I can use some the tips given by the author for my personal development.

In fact, anything that helps me in the betterment of myself and the people surrounding me, I'll certainly give it a try!!

A few months ago, I read a book titled 'The magic of thinking BIG'. Another good book by a good author!! I strongly recommend this book to everyone to read and apply the magic....... and perhaps see yourself fly!!

Before I plunge myself into buying properties for investment, I purchased some books regarding the topic. In that regard, I can say that Azizi Ali's books and tips really helped me in investing the right way. I still read his books time and again to refresh my mind in investing. Although, it'll be a wee bit difficult for me to purchase another for the time being (thank you BNM!!), I may use the knowledge I gained to help some families and friends....

Anyways, back to Tun Mahathir's book. I'll definitely purchased it later when I'm done reading Tony Robbin's book. To be honest, never had this feeling of 'looking-forward to read a book' before. Strange kan? Hahahhahaha


Source of pictures: Google.com

... a year....

It has been a year since I first started to exercise regularly....

But...for the last couple of weeks maybe for the past 2 months, it has been hard due to the lack of time and maybe lost of focus & discipline...

Anyways, I don't wanna dwell about yerterdays...What's more important now is today, tomorrow and the future...

Hence, I need to start exercising regularly again...By saying that, I need to walk/jog/run every single day for at least 40 minutes a session...

I'm beginning to feel overweight and slightly lazy....

Sometimes I do feel a wee bit cheesed off as I felt lazy to run or jog. Perhaps, the pepatah 'Melayu mudah lupa' rings a bell!!

There's no doubt that my weight now is far better off than when I first started a year ago. BUt I need to keep the momentum going. I still remember a friend said to me, reducing weight will be the easy part, but maintaining the healthy weight and lifestyle will be difficult....

No worries, I've done it before and I'm confident that I can do it again...

No more excuses...just do it!!

Have a nice day....

Nani Cries.......

Hehehe...

Liverpool won 3-1 against the Red Idiots....

What a wonderful way to end a wonderful & tiring week for me....

Anyways, about the match last night....based on how the team played for the last couple of games, I thought it would be difficult to win handsomely against the Red Idiots...

However, as I sipped my hot white coffee with fellow red fans at Hartamas last night, Liverpool were just magnificent...For Kuyt (How I wished I could have his fitness) to grab a hatrick against the RED IDIOTS was damn special...

I can't spell the name of the IDIOT's number 14. Let's just call him KALKITOS. He shouldn't have scored at the last minute. It takes a little bit of shine from the team overall performance....

Well...the highlight of the match for me was seeing Nani cried....Carra should've break his leg into 3 or 4 place...heehehehe....

Why I wonder, did the team didn't show up at Upton Park last week!! It's always been the same problem since aeons i.e. winning against 'stronger' teams and losing to supposedly 'weaker' teams....

Anyways......The King is here and hopefully he'll stay for a long, long time....

Well done boys!!


Kesian....

Congrats...

Would like to take this opportunity to congratulate UMNO & Barisan Nasional for winning the election at Kerdau, Pahang & Merlimau, Melaka...

Can't imagine if PAS were to win in Melaka. It could've been a 50-50 chance in Pahang....

Anyways....The people has put their trust & votes in these men, so BUAT KERJA!!!

Short Break.......

For the past 3 months or so, wifey has been super-duper busy with her attachments at a local hospital....

So for the next few days, wifey, kecik & myself will be going to the east coast for a short break and some trully 'quality' time together.....

It'll also gives me the opportunity to try out our new ride at East Coast Highway....hehehehe

Will post some pics when I get back ...

Have a good day........

My thoughts............

Personally I think, 50% of the traffic problem in Malaysia (specifically in KL) can be settled if and ONLY if the Malaysian drivers can learn on NOT to double park at busy streets.....

In Bangsar alone, these double parking virus cause mega unnecessary congestion. For example, in front of Bangsar Shopping Center, along jalan telawi and of course, along Jalan Bangsar Utama.

Please la drivers, otak letak kat mana? Lutut ka? Pakai kereta besar2, takkan tak mampu nak bayar duit parking kot? Bangang ke apa?

Some said, this is due to the increasing numbers of cars on the road as well as limited parking spaces available. Well, to be honest, kalau dah tau masalah, apasal la plak nak menambahkan masalah pada org lain?

Naik la public transport........or taxi....asyik nak salah kan org je buat apa woiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii......

Huh!!!

Rant Over....