Gift Of Love Charity Bazaar: 24th to 26th September 2010

The Gift of Love Charity Bazaar is the brainchild of 3 individuals who decided to come together to play a part in supporting all women.

Aims and Objectives:

1. The promotion of Breastfeeding in observance of the World Breastfeeding Week in August 2010, to create better understanding of breastfeeding as an important element in the healthy development of the baby and mother.
2. To help raise awareness for the need to end violence against women in Malaysia.
3. To help and support 'Enterprising Mothers' in the promotion of their home-based business.
   

This event is open to all "Mommy-preneurs" and other Advocates to step onto the stage with us by getting a table (for a minimum donation) to promote and sell your products and services.

All proceeds will go towards an organization who will support our aims and objectives. WABA will be the main beneficiary this 2010.

This year's charity event will be held in Tropicana City Mall in Petaling Jaya.

Cheap Display Cases @ Daiso, One Utama (New Wing)

Fellow collectors...If you're looking for small dimension display cases, you should pay a visit to the RM5 shop Daiso Japan located at LG308e, One Utama Shopping Centre (new wing). If you're coming up the escalator from the Reebok store, it's only your left, right at the end near Cold Storage.

This store has approximately 200,000 items for consumers of all ages. Don't expect electronic wares in here, but you'll find a myriad of useful wares, tools, receptacles, toys and even Japanese snacks and munchies.

These plastic display cases are found on the second last aisle from the back of the store near the other plastic ware and opposite the gardening section.

The one shown here is a 69 x 69 x 59mm (Width x Depth X Height) plastic display case with my Star Trek:TNG comm badge in it. This gives me incentive to bid for a screen-used comm badge going on eBay now. :)

Next, we have a 8.7 x 9.3 x 9.3 cm display case with a flat base. Ideal for porcelain figurines and 1:64 scale die cast cars. I house my 2008 Hallmark Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan diorama Ornament which makes a snug fit. Now it's free of dust and actually enhances the "dramatic" moment of the USS Reliant ambush on the bridge of the Enterprise..."on screen Mr. Sulu..."

This one has the same dimensions as the former, save as it comes with 2-semi circular mounts on the base designed to raise flat items to give it some character like this TNG Type 1 hand Phaser.

The other variant I purchased is a 21 x 7 x 8cm plastic case in which my Type II hand Phaser rests. In fact, the fit is so perfect, the phaser hardly jostles when I move it around. This variant has somewhat a octagonal design which frankly, I think they could do without but instead have smoothen, rounded corners. I think the design was deliberate to make these versions for stacking as depicted by the pictogram on the packaging instructions. I can't have my cake and eat it too...

One thing to bear in mind though, there is no refund policy. I suggest visual checking your merchandise before checking out.

Pakistan Flood Victims Aid: Help Please!

The flood ravaged nation of Pakistan has called for help. It's government says it cannot cope and is beyond capacity to send aid. International aid is coming in very slowly...too slowly. Many countries have pledged but has yet to convert them into cash and aid. As you all know, starvation and diseases are the most prone after floods.

Over and above that, some "fake camps" have been set up to divert the much precious aid and supplies to non-essential groups. Many are going hungry everyday. Hospitals are overcrowded. Triage systems have been set up to pay attention to the ones which half-a-chance to survive. Many of those sick are children stricken with water-born diseases such as cholera. Malnutrition rates are going up.

UNICEF is currently providing enough clean water for 1.3 million people every day, but millions more need the same services.

The Government of Pakistan estimates 20 million people overall have been hit by the flood crises, and according to the United Nations, at least 15 million people have been seriously affected, half of whom are children.

UNICEF is concerned that the floods have hit "the poorest of the poor", those least able to survive the present harsh conditions

Ways you can help:

• Pakistani High Commission through Affin Bank account 20-002063910-9 (titled "PRIME MINISTER'S FLOOD RELIEF FUND 2010"). For more information, call 03-2161 4985 or email floodreliefkl@gmail.com.

• The Malaysian Red Crescent Society's efforts are currently being directed to Pakistan, to help with relief work. Cheques should be made out to the MRCS International Relief Fund and banked into Maybank Account No 5144-2210-2657.

• MERCY Malaysia has a Pakistan Relief Fund up and running. Donate via the following bank accounts (make checks payable to MERCY MALAYSIA):

1. Maybank (account name: MERCY HUMANITARIAN FUND, account number : 5621-7950-4126, ABA Swift Code: MBBEMYKLA) or
2. CIMB Bank (account name: MERCY Malaysia, account number: 1424-000-6561053, ABA Swift Code: CIBBMYKL)

• United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF)

Amendments to the Hire Purchase Act 1967

The Hire Purchase (Amendment) Bill 2010 (click here to see the pdf version of the Bill) was passed in Parliament yesterday.

There are 3 main changes to the Hire Purchase Act 1967-

1) New sections 17A and 17B (Permitted Repossessors)-

• The appointment of car repossessors is now regulated. The owner of the vehicle (bank) will now need to appoint a repossessor by issuing a permit in writing, i.e. only those appointed by the Government via the Controller are allowed to carry out repossessions.
  

2) New section 30A (Booking Fees) and new subsections (1A) and (1B) to section 31 (Deposits)-

• Purchasers/ intended hirers will now only pay not more that 1% of the price of the car and the owner (bank) can ONLY collect the booking fee when the form set out in Part II of the Second Schedule has been duly completed. If the transaction is cancelled, the purchaser will only be entitled to refunded 90% of the booking fee.

• Upon signing of the HP Agreement, all booking fees and deposits will be paid to the bank. If the dealer fails to deliver the vehicle, then the purchaser will be refunded in full.

3) Amendment to section 16 (Repossession limits)-

• the bank cannot repossess your car WITHOUT A COURT ORDER if 75% or more of the cash price of the vehicle has been paid.
  
• the bank must still issue a Fourth Schedule notice giving not less than 21 days.

No doubt, the dealers will be effected by this new bill-

• Since monies will not actually touch their hands, they would need to dip into their own pockets first to secure a car.
• There will be more applications for overdraft facilities to cover their costs. It must be noted that cash-flow will now be affected.
  
• The waiting list is normally a forecast and should the waiting period tires out the customer, a cancellation will mean that the dealer may not get their costs back.
  

Banks too will be effected-

• They have to now mobilize more personnel to deal with collection of booking fees and deposits. I suspect a backlog may occur since the car sales in Malaysia have not really been affected substantially.
  
• The loans officers will be more itinerant compared to now, when dealers will handle most of the paperwork and deal with the banks at a later time.
  
• The hand-in-hand relationships banks have with dealers may now be superficial.
• Having now to apply for a repossession court order, banks will sustain more costs although I'm sure costs would be awarded. But what about the Courts' views on the matter? Is there going to be a special court to entertain these kinds of applications?
  

Read More for Less

Looking for a bargain with books? Well, check out BookXcess in Amcorp Mall.

These guys started a small store in 2006 with the objective of making reading a habit for people from all walks with books going for as low as 70% off their normal retail prices. A warehouse sale of books everyday! From Agriculture to Sci-Fiction, most readers would be able to walk out with a book to digest on.

I picked up 2 paper bag novels today for only RM30.00! If I had gotten these books normal retail, I'd probably would have paid about RM100.00 for them.

• For those who fancy coffee table books, there's a fine selection of novels going for RM9.90 including Dan Brown's Da Vinci Code. These are thick paper bag novels.

• Lost for choice? Well, there's always the "Staff Selection" behind the cashier with changing selection of books for various readers. Just pick one up if you can't decide on your own.
  

• Not a good enough bargain? Well, pick up books worth RM100 and you can sign up for a BookXcess Privilege Membership Card giving you a discount of 5% over and above the unbelievably low prices when you make purchases of RM50.00 and 10% for purchases over RM100.00!

BookXcess is located at L3-60, Amcorp Mall, 18 Jalan PSN Barat, 46050 Petaling Jaya, Selangor. You can contact them at 03-7956 0455 or email them at email@bookxcess.com

"No entertainment is so cheap as reading, nor pleasure so lasting."
Mary Wortley Montagu

Losing One's Head in Section 23

The recent Cow Head incident at the Selangor state secretariat building reminds us again of whether the entrenched right of freedom of worship and religious tolerance in this country has yet to see its full glory.

In a gist, residents of Section 23 in Shah Alam had staged a protest last Friday against the Pakatan Rakyat-led Selangor government’s decision to relocate a 150-year-old temple from Section 19 to their Malay-majority area.

I read the Star's report of the statement made by Ragunath Kesevan, Bar Council President saying "The fact that this is a Muslim-majority area is immaterial and should not, in and of itself, be permitted to serve as adequate basis for rejecting the establishment of a place of worship of any faith". The Bar Council's expressed disappointment at the Federal Government's handling of the issue which seemed to have placed certain blame of the Selangor State Government. The article headlined "Home Minister tells cops to charge cow head protesters".

The Malaysian Insider reported that the Home Minister warned the public of not provoking racial sentiments because it goes against the concept of "One Malaysia", which I believe was said not too long ago. Yet, it seems that the position is that why should any action be taken (or anyone be penalized) if the matter could be resolved and both sides have each other's understanding.

Whatever the position, the law is the law. If the acts of certain quarters have indeed provoked racial or religious sentiments, the consequences of such acts should follow accordingly. Even if such acts are deemed not to be racially provocative, I believe that no permit was given for such a protest. Someone still has to pay for irresponsibility. No exception should be made, for everyone is equal in the eyes of the law. The erosion of the justice system is inevitable if flaunters of the law are allowed to be off the hook. Whoever is responsible has obviously acted in total disrespect of the sentiments of others and against any sense of decency! I can only hope that the prosecution arm of our system of administration of justice will act fairly.

Live in peace and go in peace. Personally, I think we have quite a long way to go.

Kudos! PDRM

Well done, Tan Sri Musa Hassan, the policemen responsible for the outcome and the PDRM...for once.

Suffice to say, the culprit behind the uncalled for posting of Nurin's autopsy photos on the internet will be charged soon (click here).

It is heart wrenching to know enough for Nurin's family to had to endure the murder of their daughter, but to find out that some insensitive, sadistic CLOWN who had the audacity to post her autopsy pictures on the internet really makes my blood boil.

The sacredness of one's loss should never be abused for the sake of entertainment...lest morons out there who gets off by viewing such images...Shame on you, to say the least!!

The advent of the internet is certainly not for fools and the many menaces to society. For with great power comes great responsibility (eat your heart out, Spidey!)

When Will People Ever Learn???

I was reading the news on today's edition of New Straits Times and learned of 10-year old Rekha Abdullah's dissaperance. After letting out a 'sigh', the first thought on my mind was, "not again..."

The caption of NST's demograhic read "Nurin 2?". Only a couple of days back or so, I was ranting about Nurin's murder. As I read on, I realized this case had the same modus operandi, young girl walking alone to buy something... a VCD this time....and she never returned.

If it was any other kidnapping with a ransom note or demand to follow, like in the movies, I'd be less disgusted, but with the level of perversion and sex-crazy creeps out in the streets, and our streets at that, I cannot begin to imagine the horror that will ensue.

It's sickening to know that there are predators out there preying on girls like Nurin Jazlin, but equally sickening to know the people NEVER LEARN anything from incidents like these...CAN'T YOU PEOPLE REALIZE THAT THESE BASTARDS ARE STILL OUT THERE!!! Don't let your kids go anywhere alone!!!! It's not the time yet.

Now would be a good time to debut the "Nurin Alert" (click here) or some semblance of it...perhaps the parents' speculations could be true, that Rekha was just causing some panic by virtue of adolescent issues, but then again, nobody is sure. For Rekha and her parents' sake, I really hope they are right about this time...

The police in Penang have mounted a massive manhunt now, but it is also the community's obligation to keep an eye, kinda of like an adaption of the "neighhourhood principle".

A few things that came to mind, which I have acronymed "S.A.F.E."when dealing with the precarious security of our children or loved ones or even ourselves for that matter:-

1) S = Strength in Numbers

• Never leave the safety of your home ALONE.
• Have at least one decently-stature adult. Even if the child were to be with his/her parent/guardian, it serves as a deterrent for kidnappers to be.
  
• In a kidnapping scenario, two persons can put up a better fight and by clinging on to each other, there is more combined weight and mass
  
• I would think an abductor would not spend those few precious seconds to tussle for a victim

2) A= Alert home at all times

• Let someone in the house know where you're going and if possible, which route you would be taking.
  
• In any abduction case, it is imperative to trace the steps to figure out the point of abduction, the most likely trajectory of the assailants and far-fetched, the most probable motive for the abduction. It may sound very inconceivable, but these things may provide a lead in desperate times.
• Cell phones are useful. You can program a speed-dial number in case an emergency call burst is required.
  

3) F = Find refuge

• If there are suspicious characters whom you have noticed, go immediately to the nearest police station/shelter.
  
• Know your neighbours well. It would be an asset if you'd find yourself needing refuge in times of danger when en route to your destination.

4) E = Emergency Procedures

• If possible, make sure you or your child is equipped with a cell phone.
• Self-defense execution is also essential in times like these. Some basic moves are useful when confronted with these assailants. At least, hold out long enough so that they abandon the deed or at least to draw enough attention. Shouting "FIRE" on top of your voice would help!
• Pepper sprays, an umbrella, something sharp (like keys or a penknife) or a T.A.S.E.R. (unfortunately, they're not legal for civilian use...yet). Frankly, my personal favourite is a Glock 19 semi-automatic 9mm (if only....)
  

I only wish that people STOPPED BEING IGNORANT or APATHETIC about the level of social decadence in the days we live in. It's the only way we can safeguard our security. There is a new war going on, and it's a war which we can not choose to go A.W.O.L.

Also click here to see the article on the Star online.

When Evil Has Without A Face

“Selamat hari lahir, Kak Ngah [Nurin Jazlin Jazimin]...tapi kamu di mana nak?" Jazimin, Utusan Malaysia, 11 September 2007 (for more "Quotes-A-Day" during the kidnap saga, click here)

Those few words of Nurin Jazlin's father was for me, the most heart-wrenching words I've ever read. Tears swelled in my eyes. I started reading Nurin Jazlin's blog (click here) couple days ago, set up by her uncle, Jasni when the little girl was taken all of a sudden on that sordid August 20th night.

I saw her photo on the website and on a second glance, things...horrible, despicable things ran through my aching heart as to what unseen acts of perversion were unleashed on this defenseless young damsel who undoubtedly, had been in unsurmountable distress.

I could almost feel the parents' grief as they buried their 8 year old pride-and-joy. Agh! It hurts me to even blog about it now. Take a closer look... she was a pretty young lass with a whole new world before her.... a whole new world in deed. Her life, snuffed out by a spineless animal who preys on innocent young souls...a wolf in sheep's clothing, seeking out our young and virginal daughters and sons.

For this blogger, the fate of others are unknown, but the fate of dear sweet Nurin leaves much to be desired. I saw the pictures of happier times in the family. It pains me so much to know that that has been ripped from them. No amount of courtesy nor consolation will ever make things the same for Nurin's family. I HATE THE PERSON(S) FOR DOING THIS TO THIS FAMILY. THE BASTARDS!!!!

I can't begin to imagine this poor damsel fighting her assailant will every ounce of strength...every fiber in her small-frame would have been resisting the violations committed.... every drop of tears and blood for a losing battle, till there is none...

I cannot imagine ...

Her death was so undignified... too cruel. Her fragile lifeless body was placed in a Diadora sports bag and left by the side of a road next to sign post on a cold-lonely street...devoid of all the life and energy this little girl once possessed.

Now, I could talk about the pervert arrested in Thailand, Christopher Paul Neil, but I won't venture into analogies. For me, I dedicate this posting to all the missing children and persons out there and their families.

---WARNING---

DON'T EVEN DARE THINK IT'S SAFE TO LEAVE YOUR CHILDREN OR FOR THAT MATTER, YOURSELF ALONE. They are still out there. It is my opinion that the Nurin Alert (although a good start) came much too late in the day. But its a start, nevertheless.

• 1987, Ang May Hong (8 years) who was taken and killed in the most inhumane and horrific way. She was walking to buy her brother breakfast.

  May Hong's little brother never got his breakfast, he will never, ever get to see his sister bringing his breakfast home...

• 1999, Audrey Melissa Batinathan (14 years). She had been raped, battered in the head and strangled. She was 300 meters from school.

She will never experience the elation of graduation, nor of the life which could have been...she will never get her first taste of champagne...she will never again turn around to see her parents waving to her goodbye as she walks to school...

It's not over. ..It will never be till the battle is fought and the spoils of the day are the elimination of corrupt minds and perversive characters. Incarceration and penal sanctions are hardly nipping the problem at the bud.

Suffice to say, present times warrant that parents and guardians must ensure that our daughters and sons re not exposed to decadent elements, lest they gestate into the horrors which we hope not to cast assunder AND to the waste of humanity who are the harbinger of the Devil's designs, the sword of the executioner...this far, no further.