Sunday, July 31, 2011
Saturday, July 30, 2011
Friday, July 29, 2011
Thursday, July 28, 2011
Delicious @ Marc Residence, Jalan Penang
We were here to celebrate the winning of AsiaMoney! Just next to KLCC.
We went there late so not much food left. They d refilled the food many times so when we arrived they wont refill again liao T.T
Overall, the food is just so-so. Because I am hungry I ate dao alot also. Chicken, rice, spaghetti, mushroom soup and salads.
The spaghetti initially I thought was beef-cooked. But when I find out it is actually chicken, not much left jor, so I managed to take dao abit lai taste only. Nonetheless, it tasted better than the rice.
Even though the web review said dao this restaurant very bad, but actually there is also some goods de. Like the desserts they made, chocolate, strawberry and one more I don't know what lai de. Taste better than their main course food.
They booked the whole place just for this private event. At end of this makan-makan was just photograph session.
Many of them will have their last day tomorrow. I just want to wish them a very good luck in all of their future undertakings =)
We went there late so not much food left. They d refilled the food many times so when we arrived they wont refill again liao T.T
Overall, the food is just so-so. Because I am hungry I ate dao alot also. Chicken, rice, spaghetti, mushroom soup and salads.
The spaghetti initially I thought was beef-cooked. But when I find out it is actually chicken, not much left jor, so I managed to take dao abit lai taste only. Nonetheless, it tasted better than the rice.
Even though the web review said dao this restaurant very bad, but actually there is also some goods de. Like the desserts they made, chocolate, strawberry and one more I don't know what lai de. Taste better than their main course food.
They booked the whole place just for this private event. At end of this makan-makan was just photograph session.
Many of them will have their last day tomorrow. I just want to wish them a very good luck in all of their future undertakings =)
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Marché Restaurant @ The Curve, Damansara
Today we came to this place for lunch!
I was disappointed because the fellow told me no camera allowed inside. But still able to take some.
You lost this order card, you will be fined rm200. Next time I order food > rm200 then I purposely lost it xD
Too many variety of food there and I actually did not know which one to try. So I ordered pasta because I like to eat pasta. Just see how nice they could make the pasta taste like.
The quantity was small, but was enough to fill my stomach. Because I put alot of cheese. This chicken pasta was very very delicious after all. Like it very much.
But the potatoes and salmon rosti were the best!!
I don't know what magic they put on the potatoes. Countless potatoes have been digested by my stomach, or should I say all this while I was just eating chips, but this 1 that I have tried were very different from ordinary chips. They must have prepared the potatoes in just a very simple way though I don't know how they did that.
The smell of these potatoes were ... (I couldn't think of any better adjective other than ...). The moment you put into mouth, woah ...
And the salmon rosti is definitely another must-try food here. I also don't know how they wrapped the salmon with some mian fen, or bread, which made it very very .... The salmon was definitely fresh, but I could not remember what other ingredients they served together with the salmon, I just know those ingredients highlighted the originality of salmon.
For more information, please visit this: http://marche-malaysia.com/
Rahayu just got back from Jakarta and Bandung.
A Swiss restaurant. More like a food market. Very European.
The layout of the stall:
I was disappointed because the fellow told me no camera allowed inside. But still able to take some.
You lost this order card, you will be fined rm200. Next time I order food > rm200 then I purposely lost it xD
Too many variety of food there and I actually did not know which one to try. So I ordered pasta because I like to eat pasta. Just see how nice they could make the pasta taste like.
After all, this Swiss restaurant really made me fall in love with European food.
Rahayu just got back from Jakarta and Bandung.
She bought something for us to eat too. Some kind of cake. And she shared her joyful experience with me because I told her I will be going to Indonesia at the end of the year.
I knew she wanted to spend more days there. Because she claimed rm4000 was not enough for her to do shopping! Woah. She said Bandung is a shopping and food paradise, now with Trans Studio, like Disneyland or some kinda theme park and Rumah Mega if I m not mistaken with the name.
Look at this: http://www.transstudiobandung.com/theme.html
Seems exhilarating.
Jakarta is no different from Kuala Lumpur, and she said we can go to experience night life in Indonesia by going ..... clubbing?! I was shocked. Really? Indonesians cant even watch Hollywood's blockbuster movies and they are quite certain in Islam. Can they tolerate clubbing? I don't know, gonna figure it out myself.
And Bangkok. according to her, is also a night that will never sleep. I mean don't compare with New York or Tokyo. Because Bangkok has a lot of clubs, and she said what people also got in there. Hot ladies with shirts without shirts, ah kuas, whatsoever... And she actually encouraged me to go see, to experience the world wor. Haha
And the most funny part was when she described Hatyai to me. I never know Hatyai is a prostitution city until she told me. But I wan quan feel bu dao. Bavaani keep laughing there. I don't know why. I just know it is also a shopping and food paradise.
But whatever it is, I am going to Indonesia this end of the year to experience it myself. It is going to be a great 1 I know, hope we can really enjoy dao =)
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Monday, July 25, 2011
Internship Orientation Programme
I forgot this thing before coming to work.
And they even have future Chemical engineers and Psychologists being the interns here. So what's more of Petroleum Engineers, Kong Fook Ann and Hing Chai Shing, welcome, welcome xD
When I woke up at 6, I felt like I wan to drive to work this whole week after taking train and bus for the past 2 weeks continuously. And Thursday will be the 1st supervisor visit, so I might stay late in office too for the logbook, got car can drive back anytime I like, so I jiu sleep back and wake up at 7.
The feeling of driving after so long of not driving was weird. The car, which my younger brother used to knock another car's bumper down few days ago just did not feel right to me in whichever ways. Haha. But of course still in good condition, but the victim's car bumper was being knocked down, but my car, physically, still look extremely healthy at the front part.
So that was it. The internship orientation programme, Saw few familiar faces. We had lunch together in the lame level 4 cafe.
Haha. I was thinking why the orientation was held now by right should done earlier like the 1st or 2nd week when all the interns all here. Now some d left lor T.T
But overall, the orientation was remarkable. The sharing was fruitful. At least they provide some insights on banking industry. And of course cleared our doubts of starting salary all those. Hmm youngsters nowadays are more concern of that huh xD I can say it will be a lucrative one for fresh graduates, not mentioning other benefits, allowances and great experiences they said.
And they even have future Chemical engineers and Psychologists being the interns here. So what's more of Petroleum Engineers, Kong Fook Ann and Hing Chai Shing, welcome, welcome xD
Sunday, July 24, 2011
Kokky 酷奇
英國‧保險公司分析發現‧車牌有Z最易出車禍
根據電郵內容，1990年鑄造的硬幣背面，國徽下方刻上的“Majulah Singapura”橫幅呈往上拱起的弧形，兩角向下，讓硬幣仿佛是一張“苦臉”。
網絡故事稱，這個帶有“苦臉”的硬幣一直在新加坡流通，直到1997年亞洲金融危機爆發，一名風水師才建議，為了讓新加坡轉運，1元硬幣背後的設計應該改變。
從那時起，錢幣上的橫幅就改為向下凹的弧形，兩角往上翹，使它呈現一張“笑臉”，驅散愁雲。
這個故事言之鑿鑿，但也有不少網民表示懷疑，認為這樣的故事純屬虛構。
金融管理局受詢時說，1元硬幣背面最初確實是採用橫幅往上拱起的“苦臉”設計，之後才改為“笑臉”設計，但這項改變與風水無關。
發言人解釋，國徽於1969年首次出現在新加坡錢幣上。由於當時雕刻技術的限制，原本的國徽設計無法以三維的效果鑄在錢幣上，因此便採用較時髦的版本（橫幅向上拱）。
後來隨著雕刻技術的進步，可以鑄出原本的國徽設計（橫幅向下凹），從1992年起，這個設計便開始用在硬幣上。
新加坡‧48年前腹背撕裂縫462針‧被咬男變鯊魚專家
（新加坡15日訊）男子當年遭大白鯊襲擊，今天成了鯊魚專家。
今年70歲的羅德尼（Rodney Fox）在22歲時遭大白鯊襲擊，腹部至腰背部被撕裂，縫了462針。當時他是一名保險推銷員，奇蹟般痊愈受到各界矚目。他後來成了鯊魚專家，以鯊魚保育為事業。
休養一年回海洋潛水
他在接受新加坡《聯合晚報》訪問時說，1963年12月，他在澳洲南部參加水下捕魚比賽。
不料魚血腥味引來大白鯊，往他的胸膛猛撞。大白鯊緊緊咬著他的肩膀不放，隨後腹部至腰背部被撕裂，縫了462針。
他休養了一年，又再次潛水回到海洋。
他說︰“很多人認為我會放棄潛水，但我太愛潛水，也想多瞭解鯊魚。”
組織鯊魚潛水籠探險隊
羅德尼說，他目前積極參與鯊魚有關的研究與拍攝，也組織鯊魚潛水籠探險隊。
他說，地球需要鯊魚，生物食物鏈才能正常運作，其實，海洋里有400多種鯊魚，只有約7個品種有潛在的攻擊性。
羅德尼昨晚抵達新加坡，將在新加坡科學館“鯊魚宇宙︰捕食者或獵物”展的媒體預覽上分享他與大白鯊共處的經驗。
全世界最全面的鯊魚展覽首次來到亞洲，將展出真實大小的鯊魚模型、3.8億年前的牙齒化石等，其中也包括羅德尼的收藏。
展覽將於4月16日至8月21日在新加坡科學館TheAnnexe舉行。售價是21元（大人）與16元（3-16歲），包括入場門票。
此外，新加坡科學館也將播放一部與鯊魚有關的紀錄片，欲知更多詳情請上www.omnitheatre.com.sg
車子在往下斜坡卻倒退‧甲州有“神奇之路”？
（馬六甲22日訊）不可思議！車子停在往下傾斜的斜坡，車子不但沒有向前滑動，反而會後退，違反牛頓地心引力原理！
這起讓人百思不得其解的路段，就在武吉峇汝通往魯容新闢路段的十字路口交通燈前。本報接到市民的通知後，兩次前往該處進行實地檢驗，發現確有其事。
記者在交通燈轉紅燈時，當車子完全停下後，將轎車檔換成空檔，因為是往下的斜坡，因此，車子理應向前挺進，可是，在沒有拉上手掣時，車子卻莫名其妙的倒退。
記者較後到對面山坡往下看，發現上述斜坡從肉眼看來，確實是往前傾斜。
市民：約一年前發現此事
市民鄭東尼表示，他大約在一年前就發現此事，當時是在上述交通燈前，車子前方剛好有一輛轎車，前方的轎車卻一直往後退，可是，卻是往前傾的斜坡，為何前方的轎車會一直倒退，讓他覺得不可思議。
為了親身體驗，後來他駕著車子停在上述交通燈前，自身的轎車也是在向前傾斜的斜坡，卻會往後倒退。當時還以為可能自動檔車子有問題，第二次再駕駛手排轎車去試一試，也發生同樣的事情。
“我甚至還召來其他友人去試一試，大家都是得到相同的結果。”
梁徫翔：須測量或研究建築圖
肉眼判斷水平線多有誤
針對此，土木工程師市議員梁徫翔今天接受《古城》訪問時說，依據他多年的土木及築路工程的經驗來說，很多時候肉眼的判斷是錯誤的，是否有“詭異”的事件發生，就必須要測量或研究建築圖。
他強調，沒有人可以推翻牛頓的地心引力原理，車子在往下的斜坡往後退，是不可能的事情。
“水平線很多時候肉眼看起來，與確實情況有分別。我們肉眼看起來明明是傾斜的東西，但是測量起來卻是直的。”
他解釋，該地的地平線或許在交通燈前是平的，往後卻提高大約5至6寸，所以車子才會往後退。
他舉例，平常人看路面會認為是平的，其實路的中間是比路旁高出大約4寸，可是肉眼卻看不出來。
（英國‧倫敦13日訊）對駕車駕駛人而言，開車前檢查煞車、胎壓、尾燈是最基本的安全標準程序，但除此之外，或許還應該檢查看看車牌上有哪些英文字母。
根據英國elephant.co.uk/保險公司調查，車牌上有英文字母Z的汽車，最容易出車禍。
該保險公司針對64萬3939宗車禍索賠案進行分析後發現，車牌最後3個英文字母是NCZ的汽車最容易發生車禍，機率足足是其他字母組合的2.5倍。第2到第5名依序是DKY、AWZ、LGY與AAZ。
在該保險公司的前5大有過失車禍保險索賠的車牌號碼中，就有3組號碼有字母Z；此外，在車主無辜受害的車禍的5大常見車牌中，也有2組車牌中有字母Z。
至於無過失車禍索賠率最高的車牌字母組合則是RMZ，發生率是平均值的2倍以上；第2到第5名則是AOL、EYX、FNJ與NZZ。
該公司總經理馬汀說，這個分析結果“挺有意思”，但也強調應該只是巧合，不會因此對某些車牌號碼的車主調高保費。
新加坡1元硬幣“苦臉”變“笑臉”‧當局否認與風水有關
（新加坡14日訊）新加坡1元硬幣“苦臉”變“笑臉”，與風水有關？網上流傳一封電郵“新加坡1元硬幣的故事”，聲稱新加坡1元硬幣原本是“苦臉”，1997年金融危機時，有風水師建議把它改為“笑臉”，以便轉運，但當局否認此說法。該保險公司針對64萬3939宗車禍索賠案進行分析後發現，車牌最後3個英文字母是NCZ的汽車最容易發生車禍，機率足足是其他字母組合的2.5倍。第2到第5名依序是DKY、AWZ、LGY與AAZ。
在該保險公司的前5大有過失車禍保險索賠的車牌號碼中，就有3組號碼有字母Z；此外，在車主無辜受害的車禍的5大常見車牌中，也有2組車牌中有字母Z。
至於無過失車禍索賠率最高的車牌字母組合則是RMZ，發生率是平均值的2倍以上；第2到第5名則是AOL、EYX、FNJ與NZZ。
該公司總經理馬汀說，這個分析結果“挺有意思”，但也強調應該只是巧合，不會因此對某些車牌號碼的車主調高保費。
新加坡1元硬幣“苦臉”變“笑臉”‧當局否認與風水有關
根據電郵內容，1990年鑄造的硬幣背面，國徽下方刻上的“Majulah Singapura”橫幅呈往上拱起的弧形，兩角向下，讓硬幣仿佛是一張“苦臉”。
網絡故事稱，這個帶有“苦臉”的硬幣一直在新加坡流通，直到1997年亞洲金融危機爆發，一名風水師才建議，為了讓新加坡轉運，1元硬幣背後的設計應該改變。
從那時起，錢幣上的橫幅就改為向下凹的弧形，兩角往上翹，使它呈現一張“笑臉”，驅散愁雲。
這個故事言之鑿鑿，但也有不少網民表示懷疑，認為這樣的故事純屬虛構。
金融管理局受詢時說，1元硬幣背面最初確實是採用橫幅往上拱起的“苦臉”設計，之後才改為“笑臉”設計，但這項改變與風水無關。
發言人解釋，國徽於1969年首次出現在新加坡錢幣上。由於當時雕刻技術的限制，原本的國徽設計無法以三維的效果鑄在錢幣上，因此便採用較時髦的版本（橫幅向上拱）。
後來隨著雕刻技術的進步，可以鑄出原本的國徽設計（橫幅向下凹），從1992年起，這個設計便開始用在硬幣上。
新加坡‧48年前腹背撕裂縫462針‧被咬男變鯊魚專家
（新加坡15日訊）男子當年遭大白鯊襲擊，今天成了鯊魚專家。
今年70歲的羅德尼（Rodney Fox）在22歲時遭大白鯊襲擊，腹部至腰背部被撕裂，縫了462針。當時他是一名保險推銷員，奇蹟般痊愈受到各界矚目。他後來成了鯊魚專家，以鯊魚保育為事業。
休養一年回海洋潛水
他在接受新加坡《聯合晚報》訪問時說，1963年12月，他在澳洲南部參加水下捕魚比賽。
不料魚血腥味引來大白鯊，往他的胸膛猛撞。大白鯊緊緊咬著他的肩膀不放，隨後腹部至腰背部被撕裂，縫了462針。
他休養了一年，又再次潛水回到海洋。
他說︰“很多人認為我會放棄潛水，但我太愛潛水，也想多瞭解鯊魚。”
組織鯊魚潛水籠探險隊
羅德尼說，他目前積極參與鯊魚有關的研究與拍攝，也組織鯊魚潛水籠探險隊。
他說，地球需要鯊魚，生物食物鏈才能正常運作，其實，海洋里有400多種鯊魚，只有約7個品種有潛在的攻擊性。
羅德尼昨晚抵達新加坡，將在新加坡科學館“鯊魚宇宙︰捕食者或獵物”展的媒體預覽上分享他與大白鯊共處的經驗。
全世界最全面的鯊魚展覽首次來到亞洲，將展出真實大小的鯊魚模型、3.8億年前的牙齒化石等，其中也包括羅德尼的收藏。
展覽將於4月16日至8月21日在新加坡科學館TheAnnexe舉行。售價是21元（大人）與16元（3-16歲），包括入場門票。
此外，新加坡科學館也將播放一部與鯊魚有關的紀錄片，欲知更多詳情請上www.omnitheatre.com.sg
車子在往下斜坡卻倒退‧甲州有“神奇之路”？
（馬六甲22日訊）不可思議！車子停在往下傾斜的斜坡，車子不但沒有向前滑動，反而會後退，違反牛頓地心引力原理！
這起讓人百思不得其解的路段，就在武吉峇汝通往魯容新闢路段的十字路口交通燈前。本報接到市民的通知後，兩次前往該處進行實地檢驗，發現確有其事。
記者在交通燈轉紅燈時，當車子完全停下後，將轎車檔換成空檔，因為是往下的斜坡，因此，車子理應向前挺進，可是，在沒有拉上手掣時，車子卻莫名其妙的倒退。
記者較後到對面山坡往下看，發現上述斜坡從肉眼看來，確實是往前傾斜。
市民：約一年前發現此事
市民鄭東尼表示，他大約在一年前就發現此事，當時是在上述交通燈前，車子前方剛好有一輛轎車，前方的轎車卻一直往後退，可是，卻是往前傾的斜坡，為何前方的轎車會一直倒退，讓他覺得不可思議。
為了親身體驗，後來他駕著車子停在上述交通燈前，自身的轎車也是在向前傾斜的斜坡，卻會往後倒退。當時還以為可能自動檔車子有問題，第二次再駕駛手排轎車去試一試，也發生同樣的事情。
“我甚至還召來其他友人去試一試，大家都是得到相同的結果。”
梁徫翔：須測量或研究建築圖
肉眼判斷水平線多有誤
針對此，土木工程師市議員梁徫翔今天接受《古城》訪問時說，依據他多年的土木及築路工程的經驗來說，很多時候肉眼的判斷是錯誤的，是否有“詭異”的事件發生，就必須要測量或研究建築圖。
他強調，沒有人可以推翻牛頓的地心引力原理，車子在往下的斜坡往後退，是不可能的事情。
“水平線很多時候肉眼看起來，與確實情況有分別。我們肉眼看起來明明是傾斜的東西，但是測量起來卻是直的。”
他解釋，該地的地平線或許在交通燈前是平的，往後卻提高大約5至6寸，所以車子才會往後退。
他舉例，平常人看路面會認為是平的，其實路的中間是比路旁高出大約4寸，可是肉眼卻看不出來。
Saturday, July 23, 2011
美國‧泰國馬沙文咖喱居首‧亞參叻沙列全球50大美食
（美國‧華盛頓22日訊）天下美食，多不勝數，美國有線電視新聞網絡（CNN）週四選出全球50大人間美食排行榜，泰國馬沙文咖喱（Massaman curry）被評為“萬食之王”，榮登首位，大馬美食亞參叻沙也名列第7。
CNN旗下的旅遊網站CNNGo搜羅全球各地美食，並選出最後50種最美味食物，讓網民投票選出心目中最愛。
北京烤鴨第5
排行榜頭3名分別是泰國馬沙文咖喱、意大利拿波里式披薩以及墨西哥巧克力。
CNNGo指出，泰國馬沙文咖喱把辛辣、香甜等味道融為一體，“比泰國選舉更有特色”，就算是從超市購買的馬沙文咖喱，也能炮製出“米芝蓮”餐廳美食的滋味。
排名第4的日本壽司被形容為“最美麗食物”，雖然成份簡單，只有魚和米飯，但兩者巧妙地結合在一起，成為情侶首次約會的最佳菜式。
而排名第5的北京烤鴨，吸引食家的秘密是其甜美而光澤鮮明的脆皮，用薄餅皮夾著來吃，配以蔥段和海鮮醬或甜醬，令人愛不釋口。
大馬美食也很爭氣，靠酸辛辣的檳城亞參叻沙擠入榜中，排名第7。
CNNGo稱，用魚塊、羅望子、辣椒、薄荷、香茅、洋蔥、黃梨……炮製的檳城亞參叻沙，是大馬最受歡迎的美食，特別是融合了生姜的香味後，這種口味獨特的酸辣魚麵湯，很容易令人一吃上癮。
臭豆腐第41
鄰國新加坡亦有2種美食入榜，分別是排名第35的咖喱蟹和排名第45的海南雞飯。
其中，海南雞飯被喻為新加坡的“國菜”，新鮮嫩滑的雞肉，加上香味十足的油飯，配上新鮮的黃瓜片，佐以豉油和薑蓉，“食過翻尋味”。
大馬人最熟悉的港式蛋塔和港式烤吐司，分列第16及38位。
值得一提的是，臭豆腐也入榜，排名第41。CNNGo表示，臭豆腐是地球上最怪的食物之一，就像榴槤一樣，也是“最具代表性的東南亞美食”之一，那種豆腐發酵後的氣味，簡直“氣”勢凌人，留在鼻內數月，揮之不去。
Friday, July 22, 2011
金價高漲‧每安士破1千600美元‧漲買金者沒減
金價高漲，漲破每安士1千600美元，但本地金商生意不受影響，一些生意反增！
受訪的金商指金價上漲雖使購買金飾自戴的顧客稍減，但投資黃金的人卻增加，使他們整體的生意額因此上升。
另外，下個月的齋戒月是巫裔買金旺季，農曆八月則是華人結婚旺季，相信將帶動金飾交易。
何瑞麟：送禮者及投資客增加
霹靂金商公會會長何瑞麟說，黃金漲價，買金飾自己戴的顧客確是少了一點，但買來送禮者沒少，而買來投資的顧客則增加了。
他說，在華人婚禮時，許多親戚長輩習慣送金飾給一對新人，近年即使叔伯姨嬸少送，但為人父母及祖父母多會送金飾給新人，也許“分量”縮水，但價值沒少。
他說，以前很多人投資外幣，自從美元在二三年前開始下跌，他們多轉而投資產業及黃金等。
本金不多容易買賣
“投資產業需大筆錢，且行情不好時難脫售，買金相對不需很多錢，而且容易賣出去。
他表示，比起金條，本地人還是比較喜歡買金飾。
他說，齋戒月是巫裔買金旺季，而今年的齋戒月落在下個月，農曆八月則是華人結婚旺季，相信到時同業們的生意會很好。
劉偉珠：生意增加10至20%
霹靂金商公會副會長劉偉珠說，金價上漲並未影響金商的生意，反而按照最近的市場趨勢，他的生意增加10%至20%。
年底金價或將漲至1700美元他表示，他在上幾個月前已預料金價會繼續攀升，相信年底金價或將漲到每安士1千700美元。
他說，歐美金融和債券危機未除，很多人選擇投資黃金保值，甚至歐美國家的銀行也買黃金。
他說，由於黃金需求增加，每年採到的黃金不夠應付需求，連儲存的黃金也被拿出來應付市場。
Thursday, July 21, 2011
楊怡捱到嘴歪繼續拼
楊怡是無線花旦中的稀有品種，不靠緋聞、是非出位，像“友誼小姐”般，不樹敵，跟圈中人都是好朋友。她是真正的“紅褲仔”出身，由參加藝人訓練班，畢業後捱過演少女、接待員等角色，到有機會登上頒獎台做禮儀小姐。現在的楊怡是無線一線花旦，香港無線電視台在2011年上半年已先後播映了3部她主演的劇集——《魚躍在花見》、《點解阿Sir係阿Sir》，還有現在播映中的《真相》演雄辯滔滔的律師。去年拍《真相》是她入行以來最艱難時期，她病到張不開口講對白，哭著離開拍攝現場。訪問時以為楊怡會給這經歷加強“戲劇性”，為年底爭“視后”加分，她卻刻意淡化抱病演出。楊怡說：“人總要走過去，都捱過了，無所謂啦！”
去年楊怡連續拍了數部劇集，小病變大病，沒有好好休息治療。九月拍《真相》，開工不久便聲音沙啞又病懨懨的，經理人發覺她的臉部表情欠自然。病情很快便進展到臉部肌肉不受控。原來大半年的勞累，她一直感冒未愈，病菌入侵神經線，結果下巴歪了！
感冒菌入侵神經線
“演律師對白特別多，有一日突然覺得左臉肌肉不能控制似的，虎紋也消失了，張不開口說話。我立刻去看醫生，做磁力共振檢查，才知道是感冒菌作怪。當時心情跌落谷底，沒鬥志。《真相》才拍了三分一，我最擔心影響工作進度。我採用中西醫結合治療方法，吃類固醇又做針灸。針灸後臉腫腫，幸好監製與同事支持與體諒，拍攝時用鏡頭遷就，其實也不是歪得太厲害，只是微笑時容易察覺。病發時頸部的筋被扯到繃緊，後來要做物理治療。至於台詞說不清楚，唯有後期配音補救。”
楊怡不想自己的病被渲染，慶幸拍攝時消息未傳出。問她有沒有擔心演出受影響？
“坦白說，一定有少少影響，但我已盡力做到最好。人總要走過去，都捱過了，無所謂啦！最重要是我現在更珍惜健康，沒有生病過怎知道生病的痛苦。拍完《真相》後，我休息了兩、三星期才到中國拍電視劇《後宮》。現在我會給身體調息，多吃健康、營養食物。”
不覺得為工作犧牲
病魔未遠離楊怡，最近她又急性胃炎、割息肉，還大感冒；工作還是繼續。為了工作犧牲了健康？
“還不算太嚴重，唯有自責平時懶惰做運動，故健康不好。現在稍有不適我便見醫生診治，最重要是放鬆心情。說為工作犧牲、付出代價，其實每個行業也有壓力也要付出，又不只是我一個人辛苦。”
劇接劇
再北上
楊怡在拼搏時期，在無線的劇集一部接一部，她還北上中國賺人民幣，今年初拍了首部中國電視劇；機會陸續有來。問她是否覺得工作量已負荷過重？
“我覺得心靈上是有點消耗過度，但沒有工作，我會好徬徨。其實我很享受工作過程，只要給我少少時間休息就可。人也需要充電，否則會變麻木，就像機器一樣要散熱的。今年上半年我已出了3部劇集，我還要加把勁存多些貨（劇集），最快明年才有檔期到中國拍劇。”
楊怡在《真相》演律師，現在拍攝中的有《ON CALL36小時》演實習醫生，這些也是她首次演出專業人士角色。是否代表她未來的戲路也在轉變？
“我覺得是公司認為我們同期出道的女藝員也長大了，難道還要我像胡杏兒那樣扮18歲演學生妹？相信過一段日子我便要接演媽媽的角色，我已經做足心理準備。公司認同了我們可以擔演那些角色，也是突破現狀的時候。”
眼淚沒有白流
《點解阿Sir係阿Sir》中楊怡演女主角Miss Ho，跟陳豪的羅Sir是一對情侶；然後殺出一個“程咬金”——Miss Koo。鍾嘉欣一場哭戲搶盡了風頭，被封為女神，網民更要捧她做視后。楊怡的粉絲在網上為她抱不平，她跟陳豪多場不捨的感情戲也哭得叫人心酸。楊怡是否覺得眼淚白流了？
“我從來都沒有被人搶風頭的想法，拍《家好圓月》時我也未想過‘攞女’會讓人注目。鍾嘉欣是我的好朋友，她演得很好。一個角色是否讓人注目不單靠演技，還有劇本與運氣配合。主角不是大完的，綠葉演員一樣可以出位，劇中K4一班學生哥也讓人注目。觀眾各有喜好，我不會介懷誰被捧。一個角色就只有一個演員，大家不用鬥的。這次不夠好便期待下次，希望更有得發揮。”
失落視后鬆口氣
楊怡這12年來憑實力走到一線花旦的位置不容置疑，無線台慶頒獎禮中，她先後多次獲獎。2003年憑《智勇新警界》獲“飛躍進步獎”、08年《家好月圓》獲“最佳女配角”。09年《宮心計》更為她連奪“我最喜歡的電視女角色”與“最佳表現大獎”；可惜“視后”的獎項還是跟她擦身而過。
距離今年的台慶頒獎禮還有數個月，問她今年是否爭視后？“爭甚麼視后？我只想掙錢！我看住自己的背部就是視‘後’了。我當然想得獎，但獎不代表一切。如果我把握了好機會而奪得獎項，是開心的。若我們要刻意鋪排、論年資而獲獎的，我覺得贏了也欠光彩。”
楊怡近年也被捧是爭視后熱門，她笑言每次“失落”視后也會鬆一口氣，因狗仔隊會放棄她，不再成追蹤目標，讓她好舒服。她稱台慶頒獎禮要爭的，是爭找贊助商贊助服裝與首飾，還有爭好位置化妝，皆因頒獎禮的後台化妝間是大混亂的。
不要媽媽過苦日子
既來之，則安之；楊怡不會自找煩惱。近年令她感困擾的就是健康問題，早前的大病，她擔心自己有“疑慮症”。
“有時候頸梗膊痛我會很擔心，是否一條神經線壓住另一條神經線而出問題？我總覺得自己沒時間徹底醫治痊癒，真的想得太多。我又不想媽媽為我擔心，她時常勸我減少工作量，家中又不是欠錢開飯。我明白媽媽疼惜我，我是在鄉下長大的，確實可以選擇過簡單一點的生活。不過，現在我有賺錢的能力，又怎捨得要媽媽過清苦生活。”
有人形容楊怡是白開水，淡淡的，10多年來在娛樂圈工作沒有滲入很多雜質。一問一答她總是很規矩的，立場很鮮明，就是不要惹到是非。進步的是她以前抗拒訪問，怕答問題，現在她可以一日連趕5個專訪。名利場的爭奪戰中，楊怡無招勝有招，平穩向好發展。
楊怡因細菌入侵神經線導致下巴有點歪，她入院小休時還玩自拍。
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Congratulations!
Congratulations to all who called so hard to ask customers to vote in this AsiaMoney! And Congratulations too to those (me) who supported the works when the others were so busy calling xDCIMB won the best local currency bank too.. And was rated the best bank in Malaysia in 2010 by EuroMoney.
So congratulations again!!!
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
罗嘉良
This man is classic, a legend. =) I grow up with his TVB drama series.
难兄难弟、流金岁月、卫斯理、当狗爱上猫、天地男儿、天地豪情、创世纪、创世纪ll、情浓大地、迷离档案 and many many more.
I like 创世纪 and 创世纪II the most. Because of some 'uncommon and unusual faces' xD No no just kidding. Simply because the characters and stories are superb. And his songs for these series, I think for me one is very motivational and the other one can very much express my feelings now.
创造情天(电视剧创世纪II插曲)
曲:中村幸代词:李敏
行云千片悠悠是青天
我共你可以度过几个十年
留言一句人如在身边
用你的想发营造经典
我不管可天昏地暗地是变迁
记不清多少的冷面或劝勉
创造晴天兑现宏愿
来给这世代留念宇宙怀念
信心不断信念长存
让我家园心内作兴建
那管多少辛酸已获胜算
罗嘉良 准我留下(创世纪主题曲)
无人相信,如纯属知己
我待你怎会像这体贴入微
为求使你时常亦欢喜
没说出想要,如何一起
再勇敢都不敢说话乱你心
看此心它可跟你事事配衬
我无言呆等,也没遗憾
如准我继续留下
我便留下,你说一句
我便停留让爱升华
总为你牵挂
却不懂讲出真话
如准我继续留下
我便留下,你的心里
意乱如蔴力朅筋疲
依傍我好吗?
再不需分真假
接受变化
情人走了仍留下知己
每在你伤痛又再给她舍弃
谁人比美能同度悲喜
像我可花耗无限心机
再勇敢都不敢说话乱你心
看此心它可跟你事事配衬
我无言呆等,也没遗憾
如准我继续留下
我便留下,你说一句
我便停留让爱升华
总为你牵挂
却不懂讲出真话
如准我继续留下
我便留下,你的心里
意乱如蔴力朅筋疲
依傍我好吗?
再不需分真假
接受变化
如准我继续留下
我便留下,你的心里
意乱如蔴力朅筋疲
依傍我好吗?
再不需分真假
接受变化
Now that he is not filming anymore, but I still like to watch back his drama series. Those are my favourites. Likey likey***** very very much.
Here is his pa gua news xD
http://ent.jxnews.com.cn/system/2009/02/06/011019013.shtml
Monday, July 18, 2011
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Great Sunday
Quite surprise to see Argentina being defeated in the quarter-final clash. It was a 5-4 defeat on penalties to 2010 South Afrika World Cup Semi-Finalist Uruguay. This is especially unacceptable because they have all the best players in the world, Messi, Aguero, Angel Di Maria, Higuan, Mascherano, Lavezzi, Pastore and they are being brought down in their very own homeland as host nation.
Carlos Tevez missed the penalty. I guess I know what is his feeling now, missed the penalty and the whole team is eliminated. No mercy
I tell you, the feeling of missing a crucial penalty can lead to any kind of depression, especially when you missed it and the whole team got eliminated in a tournament.
I experienced it twice in secondary school. No matter how excellent and brilliant my team played in the normal period and extra time, when it comes to penalty shoot-out, it is always us that will go back home with great disappointment. We always think we should emerged as the winner with whatever reasons, but penalty shoot-outs are just something very different. You score all the 5, you win. The theory is simple. Forget what you have done in the past 90 + 30 mins extra time if the better side just unable to score enough goals.
Somehow unfair right? But this is reality. Accept the facts and life goes on.
I guess I have grown up with the missing of the 2 penalties, though it sometimes still casts some shadows on me in whatever matches after that. Anything could happen in football field, and so is life. So many uncertainties and countless obstacles. But I guess I have walked away with some values and teachings after that which will certainly make me grow up as a real man in the future =)
So cheer up Carlos Tevez. Pack your feelings and decide whether you still want to stay with Manchester City xP
And so that's the football part.
Today I realized my parents are both food lovers. They like to bring us out to try different food. They will remember which restaurants have the nicest food of all and compare the price. Sometimes it is very funny to see both of them arguing about the price, quantity and quality of food. But no doubt whichever restaurants they bring us to the most frequent, that restaurant already met their 'fretful, choosy and fussy' expectations.
Like today we tried out another new restaurant in Manjalara.
That restaurant was crowded in this Sunday night.
The quantity of food is very less, but the quality is extremely good. The price is 'arguetable' because my mother said it was expensive but my father said it was ok. But both of them agreed that the food was nice.
So now with thier influences, I feel like want to become a food traveller in the future.
No, not in the future, it will officially start now. I want to try every nice food starting from now! Blek =P
Carlos Tevez missed the penalty. I guess I know what is his feeling now, missed the penalty and the whole team is eliminated. No mercy
I tell you, the feeling of missing a crucial penalty can lead to any kind of depression, especially when you missed it and the whole team got eliminated in a tournament.
I experienced it twice in secondary school. No matter how excellent and brilliant my team played in the normal period and extra time, when it comes to penalty shoot-out, it is always us that will go back home with great disappointment. We always think we should emerged as the winner with whatever reasons, but penalty shoot-outs are just something very different. You score all the 5, you win. The theory is simple. Forget what you have done in the past 90 + 30 mins extra time if the better side just unable to score enough goals.
Somehow unfair right? But this is reality. Accept the facts and life goes on.
I guess I have grown up with the missing of the 2 penalties, though it sometimes still casts some shadows on me in whatever matches after that. Anything could happen in football field, and so is life. So many uncertainties and countless obstacles. But I guess I have walked away with some values and teachings after that which will certainly make me grow up as a real man in the future =)
So cheer up Carlos Tevez. Pack your feelings and decide whether you still want to stay with Manchester City xP
And so that's the football part.
Today I realized my parents are both food lovers. They like to bring us out to try different food. They will remember which restaurants have the nicest food of all and compare the price. Sometimes it is very funny to see both of them arguing about the price, quantity and quality of food. But no doubt whichever restaurants they bring us to the most frequent, that restaurant already met their 'fretful, choosy and fussy' expectations.
Like today we tried out another new restaurant in Manjalara.
That restaurant was crowded in this Sunday night.
The quantity of food is very less, but the quality is extremely good. The price is 'arguetable' because my mother said it was expensive but my father said it was ok. But both of them agreed that the food was nice.
So now with thier influences, I feel like want to become a food traveller in the future.
No, not in the future, it will officially start now. I want to try every nice food starting from now! Blek =P
Saturday, July 16, 2011
Him
I think me and him are bound together in a journey. It's fate to meet him so many times in such a short period. Those that I always wish to meet do not turn up so frequent like him, though I am quite surprised and unwilling to meet him so often. Sian d.
He is my primary school's band PIC, coach and tutor.
The impression towards him in my mind is : He is fierce and bad tempered, a person who likes Japan very much and had been to that country for quite a number of times.
I admitted since I joined primary school band, I always want to play drums. But he gave all the roles of playing drums in the band to my fellow female classmates. The reason being was that those female classmates of mine will have better tempo-follow-up because these ladies play piano. Oh ok.
So me and my friends are assigned to play flute xD Many more other musical equipments available, I can remember melodica. Dun have all those guitars, violins and bass. These are of after-junior level. But of course what we learnt during that time were of extremely junior level. Yet many other instruments I only know them in Chinese name.
No doubt I am still interested in drums. Until now. I am still finding chances to play drums in band. However the knowledge I have on this is too limited. I am just familiar with the basics. I was thinking of taking my intern oppportunity to take up drum courses somewhere since I am already in KL and is easier for me to attend classes compared to I take up the course after intern and back to UTP. But I find it hard to adapt to only-weekends-available time slots because I need to go for work from Monday till Friday. And after work is already tiring. What they are teaching in the trial class are things I have already known. And obviously the 6 months is not enough for me if they continue teaching like this. And I have no other choice but to give up the drum courses.
Did you realize many songs are composed differently, rhythm maybe played by different instruments: electronic guitar, guitar, piano, violins or cello, but seldom are without drums.
And so this man trained us hard. Scolded us bloody harsh everytime in training. Gave us the music spectrum and expected us to know how to play the song the next moment.
He was violent because he will use whatever in his grasp to knock us. Hands, backs, the musical equipments you are holding or whichever parts, you name it.
And so some parents complained to the school pricipal. And he changed dramatically.
He became nice. Really nice. Very polite and si wen. Haha
I guess he recognized my face because I always buy new flute from him. Not because I lost it because everytime I lost the flute I will find it back in whatever ways. I bought from him is because many flutes past my hands will be spoil in whatever manners. I played with my flutes too much xD Hit this hit that, and you know, this kinda of plastic made flute is weak. I threw at my dogs and it will end up in more than 2 pieces.
I still remembered clearly every Sunday of my primary school life, I will often become scare, nervous, crazy and I will cry. Simply because I always lost my flute somewhere at home T.T Monday is the training day. I scare he will whack me if I told him I lost my flute. I just dont rememeber where I'd put it after practising at home everyday. I will make sure every corner of the house a mess and my family members will not help me search also de.
The house is too big. And many times when I realize that my flute was missing, it was around 10 or 11 pm. My bros will say me dai sei and they will just go to sleep.
There were several famous spot that I could always find back my flute.
Either it is slipped somewhere between sofas, somewhere inside my very own school bag but I cant see it, somewhere near shoes rack, somewhere under my bed and blanket or sometimes in school drawer. What a joke.
But is because of him, we were able to perform in so many events in schools, sports day, someone's retiring ceremony, and many whatsoever events, of course the unforgettable PWTC performance too. We were the only Chinese school invited to play. An honour for everyone of us to watch and see the Noob Abdullah, who was the Deputy PM at that time at such a zero distance performance.
And our performance was on newspaper!. I realized my name and picture appeared on newspapers many times during primary school life. For whatever acheivements in primary schools. Sometimes the whole page is dedicated to me and my friends. So proud of it ^.^ Haha. Too bad the newspaper collection gone missing when we moved house T.T
The very last time I met him was last Thursday in The Curve. Before this was in Jusco for many many times and in the car service center. His car tyre punctured. I remembered I helped him to take out the tyre and patched it.
I told my family members too who he was when he arrived at the center. But everytime we termeet we will not greet each other. From his face expression I know he still remember me and from my face expression too, I know I also make him know that I remember him xP
I could not recall his name. But I know I will meet him again in somewhere sometimes again.
He is my primary school's band PIC, coach and tutor.
The impression towards him in my mind is : He is fierce and bad tempered, a person who likes Japan very much and had been to that country for quite a number of times.
I admitted since I joined primary school band, I always want to play drums. But he gave all the roles of playing drums in the band to my fellow female classmates. The reason being was that those female classmates of mine will have better tempo-follow-up because these ladies play piano. Oh ok.
So me and my friends are assigned to play flute xD Many more other musical equipments available, I can remember melodica. Dun have all those guitars, violins and bass. These are of after-junior level. But of course what we learnt during that time were of extremely junior level. Yet many other instruments I only know them in Chinese name.
No doubt I am still interested in drums. Until now. I am still finding chances to play drums in band. However the knowledge I have on this is too limited. I am just familiar with the basics. I was thinking of taking my intern oppportunity to take up drum courses somewhere since I am already in KL and is easier for me to attend classes compared to I take up the course after intern and back to UTP. But I find it hard to adapt to only-weekends-available time slots because I need to go for work from Monday till Friday. And after work is already tiring. What they are teaching in the trial class are things I have already known. And obviously the 6 months is not enough for me if they continue teaching like this. And I have no other choice but to give up the drum courses.
Did you realize many songs are composed differently, rhythm maybe played by different instruments: electronic guitar, guitar, piano, violins or cello, but seldom are without drums.
And so this man trained us hard. Scolded us bloody harsh everytime in training. Gave us the music spectrum and expected us to know how to play the song the next moment.
He was violent because he will use whatever in his grasp to knock us. Hands, backs, the musical equipments you are holding or whichever parts, you name it.
And so some parents complained to the school pricipal. And he changed dramatically.
He became nice. Really nice. Very polite and si wen. Haha
I guess he recognized my face because I always buy new flute from him. Not because I lost it because everytime I lost the flute I will find it back in whatever ways. I bought from him is because many flutes past my hands will be spoil in whatever manners. I played with my flutes too much xD Hit this hit that, and you know, this kinda of plastic made flute is weak. I threw at my dogs and it will end up in more than 2 pieces.
I still remembered clearly every Sunday of my primary school life, I will often become scare, nervous, crazy and I will cry. Simply because I always lost my flute somewhere at home T.T Monday is the training day. I scare he will whack me if I told him I lost my flute. I just dont rememeber where I'd put it after practising at home everyday. I will make sure every corner of the house a mess and my family members will not help me search also de.
The house is too big. And many times when I realize that my flute was missing, it was around 10 or 11 pm. My bros will say me dai sei and they will just go to sleep.
There were several famous spot that I could always find back my flute.
Either it is slipped somewhere between sofas, somewhere inside my very own school bag but I cant see it, somewhere near shoes rack, somewhere under my bed and blanket or sometimes in school drawer. What a joke.
But is because of him, we were able to perform in so many events in schools, sports day, someone's retiring ceremony, and many whatsoever events, of course the unforgettable PWTC performance too. We were the only Chinese school invited to play. An honour for everyone of us to watch and see the Noob Abdullah, who was the Deputy PM at that time at such a zero distance performance.
And our performance was on newspaper!. I realized my name and picture appeared on newspapers many times during primary school life. For whatever acheivements in primary schools. Sometimes the whole page is dedicated to me and my friends. So proud of it ^.^ Haha. Too bad the newspaper collection gone missing when we moved house T.T
The very last time I met him was last Thursday in The Curve. Before this was in Jusco for many many times and in the car service center. His car tyre punctured. I remembered I helped him to take out the tyre and patched it.
I told my family members too who he was when he arrived at the center. But everytime we termeet we will not greet each other. From his face expression I know he still remember me and from my face expression too, I know I also make him know that I remember him xP
I could not recall his name. But I know I will meet him again in somewhere sometimes again.
Friday, July 15, 2011
My dream cars
I like BMW Cars. I always want to get myself 1 in the future.
But after sitting on it several times, I find that the car is very different from what I had always been imagining.
Nothing special. It is somehow stylish, yes, no doubt. But for me, the fittings inside are disappointing.
It is the brand name which makes the German cars costly I guess. And the tax.
Now I feel that Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Suzuki and even Naza, their cars can do better than BMW's, in terms of design, style, safety and equipments.
These cars' design are filled with revolutionary ideas. One of my collegues will be getting his new Honda Civic hybrid next week. Everyone is exciting talking about that car. Suhana also, will be getting her new Saga SL next week. Everytime when she talks about this, she will be smiling happily.
She will need more practises before driving to work alone. She said she is still scare of accidents. I also hope she can master her driving skills so she could drive to work as fast as possible because all of us want to ride her car to lunch!! xD
These cars can be seen everywhere around CIMB buidings. I want to get any one of them in the future. Argh I want. Haha blek
But after sitting on it several times, I find that the car is very different from what I had always been imagining.
Nothing special. It is somehow stylish, yes, no doubt. But for me, the fittings inside are disappointing.
It is the brand name which makes the German cars costly I guess. And the tax.
Now I feel that Honda, Toyota, Volkswagen, Suzuki and even Naza, their cars can do better than BMW's, in terms of design, style, safety and equipments.
These cars' design are filled with revolutionary ideas. One of my collegues will be getting his new Honda Civic hybrid next week. Everyone is exciting talking about that car. Suhana also, will be getting her new Saga SL next week. Everytime when she talks about this, she will be smiling happily.
She will need more practises before driving to work alone. She said she is still scare of accidents. I also hope she can master her driving skills so she could drive to work as fast as possible because all of us want to ride her car to lunch!! xD
These cars can be seen everywhere around CIMB buidings. I want to get any one of them in the future. Argh I want. Haha blek
Thursday, July 14, 2011
Outing to Lunch
I like everytime when managers of mine invite us to have lunch together outside.
Because I know they never disappoint me with their recommendations.
From Bad Ass Cofee, banana leaf, San Francisco Steakhouse, IKEA, and today The Curve.. All I have been eating are a fantastic collection of recipes.
Tomorrow is Friday. Most probably we will be going to IKEA again =) Woah haha
The only disadvantage we going out for lunch is that.... we all realize we dont wan to go back for work after that xD
Because you have been to that place for lunch, y not do some shopping also?
Hehe
Back to reality.
So many other cuisines I hope to try, Thai, Mexicans, Japanese Teppanyaki, Koreans, and locals. Hope they will continue to bring me xP
Because I know they never disappoint me with their recommendations.
From Bad Ass Cofee, banana leaf, San Francisco Steakhouse, IKEA, and today The Curve.. All I have been eating are a fantastic collection of recipes.
Tomorrow is Friday. Most probably we will be going to IKEA again =) Woah haha
The only disadvantage we going out for lunch is that.... we all realize we dont wan to go back for work after that xD
Because you have been to that place for lunch, y not do some shopping also?
Hehe
Back to reality.
So many other cuisines I hope to try, Thai, Mexicans, Japanese Teppanyaki, Koreans, and locals. Hope they will continue to bring me xP
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Thursday?!
I am an Arsenal fans. I followed the teachings of Arsene Wenger's football fanatically.
Malaysia XI vs Arsenal now live at Stadium Bukit Jalil. Malaysia XI 0 - Arsenal 3.
But I end up staying at home facing this screen.
Ridiculously said, I watched Manchested United starring in Malaysia 2 years ago at Stadium Bukit Jalil with my very best friends from UTP.
Christiano Ronaldo left the team, I was not able to see his face. I just remembered people keep shouting once England no.1 striker's name. "Owen, owen, owen...". That night MU won 3-2. Some video recordings are still inside my external hard disk.
But I am not even a fan of MU.
Few days later will be Liverpool's turn. Now how I hope I am an employee of Standard Chartered Bank. So I could get some free tickets to watch Liverpool playing. Haha
Standard Chartered is the first bank I looking forward to work at. Too bad they do not respond to my internship application.
After Liverpool would be Chelsea's turn. My favourite football star of all time Fernando Torres is coming to Malaysia. Yet I am not able to see him.
3 EPL rivals come together and I am not able to watch even one. How awful. I am not sure whether this chance will come again.
Before this, Arsenal's last visit was 12 years ago. Liverpool is making the first visit to Malaysia. And Chelsea, last time was in the year 2002 if I am not mistaken.
So I guess I have to wait for another 10 years to watch either one of them playing in Malaysia again T.T
This evening before going home finally eat dao McDonald's Mc Chicken meal! Haha.
Feel so excited.
In work, they have already start discussing on this:
Suhana is especially excited. She even circulated the coupon e-mail in our intranet to everyone of us, 'urging' us to print and claim the free burger today after work. Today is last day. So I could see many smiling faces at the printer corner. They used the company printer to print the coupon LOL
Even though today was late in waiting train and missed the 6.55 pm train because of the long-awaiting McDonald's, yet I find 7.15 pm de train is less crowded and more comfortable standing.
Today is Wednesday. Another week is seen to end soon. Time flies. What have we actually done on this internship?
Oh full time. Malaysia XI 0 - Arsenal 4
Malaysia XI vs Arsenal now live at Stadium Bukit Jalil. Malaysia XI 0 - Arsenal 3.
But I end up staying at home facing this screen.
Ridiculously said, I watched Manchested United starring in Malaysia 2 years ago at Stadium Bukit Jalil with my very best friends from UTP.
Christiano Ronaldo left the team, I was not able to see his face. I just remembered people keep shouting once England no.1 striker's name. "Owen, owen, owen...". That night MU won 3-2. Some video recordings are still inside my external hard disk.
But I am not even a fan of MU.
Few days later will be Liverpool's turn. Now how I hope I am an employee of Standard Chartered Bank. So I could get some free tickets to watch Liverpool playing. Haha
Standard Chartered is the first bank I looking forward to work at. Too bad they do not respond to my internship application.
After Liverpool would be Chelsea's turn. My favourite football star of all time Fernando Torres is coming to Malaysia. Yet I am not able to see him.
3 EPL rivals come together and I am not able to watch even one. How awful. I am not sure whether this chance will come again.
Before this, Arsenal's last visit was 12 years ago. Liverpool is making the first visit to Malaysia. And Chelsea, last time was in the year 2002 if I am not mistaken.
So I guess I have to wait for another 10 years to watch either one of them playing in Malaysia again T.T
This evening before going home finally eat dao McDonald's Mc Chicken meal! Haha.
Feel so excited.
In work, they have already start discussing on this:
Suhana is especially excited. She even circulated the coupon e-mail in our intranet to everyone of us, 'urging' us to print and claim the free burger today after work. Today is last day. So I could see many smiling faces at the printer corner. They used the company printer to print the coupon LOL
Even though today was late in waiting train and missed the 6.55 pm train because of the long-awaiting McDonald's, yet I find 7.15 pm de train is less crowded and more comfortable standing.
Today is Wednesday. Another week is seen to end soon. Time flies. What have we actually done on this internship?
Oh full time. Malaysia XI 0 - Arsenal 4
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
如此真實的馬來西亞
幾年前，從新加坡經第二關卡回國，車子進入柔佛境內時，眼前一片綠色森林，廣闊無際，讓人心曠神怡，跟新加坡的高密度開發產生了極大的對比。這種情況，相信有很多國人及外國遊客都會很直接的感受到。正當我思索兩個國家明顯的差異時，突然被眼前一掃而過的廣告牌子震愕住，那是泰國旅遊部在大馬境內投資的宣傳廣告，看板上寫：“您目前距離驚奇泰國（Amazing Thailand）還剩下約800公里”。
當下直接的反應是豈有此理，竟然不把馬來西亞的旅遊放在眼裡！然而，不稍片刻，便開始想起，確實有非常多的中港台旅遊團，雖然標榜泰馬新或新馬泰旅遊，然而實際上在馬來西亞逗留的時間，與其說是旅遊，不如說只是路過更為貼切。
曾經在台灣認識一位參加過類似旅行團的朋友，說起他對馬來西亞的印象，即從泰南在邊界換遊覽車進入大馬，接風塵僕僕到檳城，大概隨便參觀過一些景點，如極樂寺、龍山堂邱公司及海邊逗留一下之後，便直奔雲頂。在雲頂過一晚，隔天便出發到新加坡去，總共留在馬來西亞的時間，恐怕連36小時都不到，比國際巨星蜻蜓點水式的巡迴宣傳還要短。
大馬自從在1990年推廣旅遊大馬年開始，便吸引許多外國遊客前來，從最早期的歐美遊客，到後來以中港台遊客為主，人數不斷在上升，但對國內旅遊經濟又有多少幫助？如此速食的團體旅遊方式，事實上只是幫助了旅行社，養活了導遊、酒店及一些指定的餐館及土產店，至於更廣泛的人民，很難從旅遊業中得益。
在開始推廣旅遊業時，政府雄心勃勃，花了不少錢建設所謂的旅遊設施，例如沙亞南的農業公園、四季館、檳城的蝴蝶公園、馬六甲的迷你馬來西亞、武吉加里爾的休閒公園、大馬眼旋轉塔，名噪一時，然而如今又有多少還保存良好？有多少個還可能算是旅遊景點？這些花大錢建設的旅遊產品，只是提供一些娛樂設施給遊客，而國家只能夠從當中賺取一些入門費，連養活行政管理及表演人員都不足，而且這些被設計出來的旅遊配套，不能代表真正的文化特色，遊客來體驗之後，得到的只是膚淺且表面的印象。
至於想要更深入一層瞭解馬來西亞人文風土民情的遊客，經常會感到無所適從。眾所周知，在網路上很難找到馬來西亞深度旅遊的資訊，市面上可以買到深入介紹本土的書藉更是屈指可數。相較於泰國、印尼、越南、柬埔寨等國已開始提供豐富多元的知性旅遊體驗方式，大馬的旅遊業推廣還是停留在商業考量的玩樂旅遊階段。
旅遊部的手法只是講求包裝及行銷，且不怎麼在意內涵。多年來，許多旅遊宣傳政策及旅遊產品，正是反映這種心態。以大馬豐富多元的歷史背景看來，我們早已具備了深厚的文化基礎，只要有人去發掘，用攝影、文字書寫的方式表達，就可以達到吸引遊客的目的。然而，政府往往對現有的文化、人文景觀缺乏信心，同時也因發展利益導向，創造出許多華而不實的計劃。
以吉隆坡為例，眾所周知最能代表吉隆坡歷史的區域非茨廠街一帶莫屬；然而，在經過大刀闊斧改造，花大錢興建觀光街道及遮雨蓬，遊客慕名而來，看到的卻是許多外勞在兜售仿名牌貨及旅遊紀念品；感受到的，是變調走板的假吉隆坡歷史與文化。
蘊育馬六甲港口，創造了馬六甲王朝輝煌歷史、經歷葡萄牙、荷蘭、英國殖民歷史變遷的馬六甲河，也逃不過被改造為旅遊產品的命運。經過改造後的馬六甲河，完全失去其東西方貿易交流的港河特色，取而代之的是遊船河，以及兩旁的徒步走道。此外，見證古晉市發展與變遷，呈現當地人生活風貌的海唇街巴剎及百貨市場，也是被當局以發展河岸觀光旅遊之名，徹底剷除，變成一個單調無趣的觀光停車場。
這些改造工作，在在顯示政府對真實的歷史與文化缺乏信心，同時也不願意以真實的面貌展示給遊客。有朋友開玩笑說，如果馬六甲河以前有一個像曼谷一樣的水上市場，政府會在推廣旅遊業時，先把這些經營的攤販趕走，甚至將市場關閉，因為如此的市場，恐怕會讓遊客以為馬來西亞很落後。有趣的是，當看到曼谷的水上市場成為泰國重要景點之後，政府已經開始計劃，在馬六甲河的某個段落增加水上市場的活動。
在吉隆坡開車，如果細心觀察，不難發現市中心，尤其是雙峰塔、武吉敏登一帶的道路特別平順好走。然而，當車子拐進不遠的半山芭、蕉賴、舊街場、冼都一帶等，彷彿去到另一個國度，道路充滿坑洞，路上偶爾出現車子輾斃的老鼠屍體，衛生、冶安問題一籮筐。這種感覺上的落差，就有如當天從新加坡回到柔佛一樣，差距非常明顯。
最近幾個星期來，旅遊部因花費180萬令吉在社交網路上宣傳大馬旅遊，引起廣泛爭論，旅遊部長黃燕燕義正嚴詞的說，這些費用花在宣傳上面，吸引外國遊客前來一點都不貴，該部還打算進一步擴大宣傳投資。部長眼中非常值得又便宜的180萬令吉公關費，跟飽受生活費漲價之苦的平民百姓眼中的180萬令吉，顯然有如夢幻與現實那般鮮明與強烈。
（星洲日報／漫步五腳基‧張集強）
當下直接的反應是豈有此理，竟然不把馬來西亞的旅遊放在眼裡！然而，不稍片刻，便開始想起，確實有非常多的中港台旅遊團，雖然標榜泰馬新或新馬泰旅遊，然而實際上在馬來西亞逗留的時間，與其說是旅遊，不如說只是路過更為貼切。
曾經在台灣認識一位參加過類似旅行團的朋友，說起他對馬來西亞的印象，即從泰南在邊界換遊覽車進入大馬，接風塵僕僕到檳城，大概隨便參觀過一些景點，如極樂寺、龍山堂邱公司及海邊逗留一下之後，便直奔雲頂。在雲頂過一晚，隔天便出發到新加坡去，總共留在馬來西亞的時間，恐怕連36小時都不到，比國際巨星蜻蜓點水式的巡迴宣傳還要短。
大馬自從在1990年推廣旅遊大馬年開始，便吸引許多外國遊客前來，從最早期的歐美遊客，到後來以中港台遊客為主，人數不斷在上升，但對國內旅遊經濟又有多少幫助？如此速食的團體旅遊方式，事實上只是幫助了旅行社，養活了導遊、酒店及一些指定的餐館及土產店，至於更廣泛的人民，很難從旅遊業中得益。
在開始推廣旅遊業時，政府雄心勃勃，花了不少錢建設所謂的旅遊設施，例如沙亞南的農業公園、四季館、檳城的蝴蝶公園、馬六甲的迷你馬來西亞、武吉加里爾的休閒公園、大馬眼旋轉塔，名噪一時，然而如今又有多少還保存良好？有多少個還可能算是旅遊景點？這些花大錢建設的旅遊產品，只是提供一些娛樂設施給遊客，而國家只能夠從當中賺取一些入門費，連養活行政管理及表演人員都不足，而且這些被設計出來的旅遊配套，不能代表真正的文化特色，遊客來體驗之後，得到的只是膚淺且表面的印象。
至於想要更深入一層瞭解馬來西亞人文風土民情的遊客，經常會感到無所適從。眾所周知，在網路上很難找到馬來西亞深度旅遊的資訊，市面上可以買到深入介紹本土的書藉更是屈指可數。相較於泰國、印尼、越南、柬埔寨等國已開始提供豐富多元的知性旅遊體驗方式，大馬的旅遊業推廣還是停留在商業考量的玩樂旅遊階段。
旅遊部的手法只是講求包裝及行銷，且不怎麼在意內涵。多年來，許多旅遊宣傳政策及旅遊產品，正是反映這種心態。以大馬豐富多元的歷史背景看來，我們早已具備了深厚的文化基礎，只要有人去發掘，用攝影、文字書寫的方式表達，就可以達到吸引遊客的目的。然而，政府往往對現有的文化、人文景觀缺乏信心，同時也因發展利益導向，創造出許多華而不實的計劃。
以吉隆坡為例，眾所周知最能代表吉隆坡歷史的區域非茨廠街一帶莫屬；然而，在經過大刀闊斧改造，花大錢興建觀光街道及遮雨蓬，遊客慕名而來，看到的卻是許多外勞在兜售仿名牌貨及旅遊紀念品；感受到的，是變調走板的假吉隆坡歷史與文化。
蘊育馬六甲港口，創造了馬六甲王朝輝煌歷史、經歷葡萄牙、荷蘭、英國殖民歷史變遷的馬六甲河，也逃不過被改造為旅遊產品的命運。經過改造後的馬六甲河，完全失去其東西方貿易交流的港河特色，取而代之的是遊船河，以及兩旁的徒步走道。此外，見證古晉市發展與變遷，呈現當地人生活風貌的海唇街巴剎及百貨市場，也是被當局以發展河岸觀光旅遊之名，徹底剷除，變成一個單調無趣的觀光停車場。
這些改造工作，在在顯示政府對真實的歷史與文化缺乏信心，同時也不願意以真實的面貌展示給遊客。有朋友開玩笑說，如果馬六甲河以前有一個像曼谷一樣的水上市場，政府會在推廣旅遊業時，先把這些經營的攤販趕走，甚至將市場關閉，因為如此的市場，恐怕會讓遊客以為馬來西亞很落後。有趣的是，當看到曼谷的水上市場成為泰國重要景點之後，政府已經開始計劃，在馬六甲河的某個段落增加水上市場的活動。
在吉隆坡開車，如果細心觀察，不難發現市中心，尤其是雙峰塔、武吉敏登一帶的道路特別平順好走。然而，當車子拐進不遠的半山芭、蕉賴、舊街場、冼都一帶等，彷彿去到另一個國度，道路充滿坑洞，路上偶爾出現車子輾斃的老鼠屍體，衛生、冶安問題一籮筐。這種感覺上的落差，就有如當天從新加坡回到柔佛一樣，差距非常明顯。
最近幾個星期來，旅遊部因花費180萬令吉在社交網路上宣傳大馬旅遊，引起廣泛爭論，旅遊部長黃燕燕義正嚴詞的說，這些費用花在宣傳上面，吸引外國遊客前來一點都不貴，該部還打算進一步擴大宣傳投資。部長眼中非常值得又便宜的180萬令吉公關費，跟飽受生活費漲價之苦的平民百姓眼中的180萬令吉，顯然有如夢幻與現實那般鮮明與強烈。
（星洲日報／漫步五腳基‧張集強）
Monday, July 11, 2011
Si gay lou
Today after work in KL Sentral met dao one si gay lou. An Indian. Look in good manner.
It happened right after I seperated with Suhana. Somewhere near toilet. Outside Guardian.
So I accidentally knocked someone with my water bottle. He/she was on my right. I knew I knocked someone but I did not turn and say sorry to him/her. Knocked dao quite hard because I walked very fast.
And at this very moment, I did not know he was already following me into the toilet.
So when I was peeing, he came to my left hand side, peeing also I supposed. On my left hand side this time. So I turned and looked at him. Looked from feet to head, but was a very quick one. I saw nothing. Seriously. Nothing. He thought otherwise.
So when I got out the toilet, I went inside Guardian to buy some party snacks because I suddenly felt like want eat. I was starving and the train I thought will arrive late as usual.
I paid and ready to wait for train.
This man, suddenly came near me. The guy on the toilet just now.
"Can I ask you something? Correct me if I'm wrong..." He asked.
I was like: "What The Hell" I think I made some funny expression to him.
"So you see my cock just now?"
Woah.
What a straightforward question.
I said "No, no at all"
"Do you like sex?"
Wah, another question from him.
I smiled and said "No no" argh Haha. Without looking at him this time. I actually dun know how to answer him. So I walked faster.
"But I thought you wan it. Just now you knocked me.." Oh, so that's it.
I knocked him and he thought I was giving him some kinda gay signals huh what the fuck.
I just keep shaking my head.
"You from where?" He asked again.
"Kepong"
"How old are you?"
"20" I said.
I dunno why I still want to answer him.
Before I got into the ticket checker machine, I turned to him. And he said "If you want, next time". But I dun have his contact number.. Haha no no just kiddinng.
Oh gosh. I feel like want to vomit. I hope I will never see him again. I cannot recall his face now, but I think he will know me. So I am kinda afraid of him for no reason.
I suddenly realized learning martial arts is good in handling this kinda thing. At least can protect yourself. But I am just a Taekwondo... Yellow belt =P
I just keep on looking back to make sure he is not tracking my footsteps.
But if he really did, I also dunno how to do. Kick? Punch? Or pretend nothing happen? Argh
"If we ever meet again.."
Sounds very brokeback.
Train arived earlier today and I dunno why today I board on it so easily. The door just opened in front of me. I still checking if he really boarded on the same coach as me.
Haha.
I really wish I will never see this gay guy again. For whatever reason. Or I will ask Suhana accompany me next time (Supposingly is the other way round) xD
It happened right after I seperated with Suhana. Somewhere near toilet. Outside Guardian.
So I accidentally knocked someone with my water bottle. He/she was on my right. I knew I knocked someone but I did not turn and say sorry to him/her. Knocked dao quite hard because I walked very fast.
And at this very moment, I did not know he was already following me into the toilet.
So when I was peeing, he came to my left hand side, peeing also I supposed. On my left hand side this time. So I turned and looked at him. Looked from feet to head, but was a very quick one. I saw nothing. Seriously. Nothing. He thought otherwise.
So when I got out the toilet, I went inside Guardian to buy some party snacks because I suddenly felt like want eat. I was starving and the train I thought will arrive late as usual.
I paid and ready to wait for train.
This man, suddenly came near me. The guy on the toilet just now.
"Can I ask you something? Correct me if I'm wrong..." He asked.
I was like: "What The Hell" I think I made some funny expression to him.
"So you see my cock just now?"
Woah.
What a straightforward question.
I said "No, no at all"
"Do you like sex?"
Wah, another question from him.
I smiled and said "No no" argh Haha. Without looking at him this time. I actually dun know how to answer him. So I walked faster.
"But I thought you wan it. Just now you knocked me.." Oh, so that's it.
I knocked him and he thought I was giving him some kinda gay signals huh what the fuck.
I just keep shaking my head.
"You from where?" He asked again.
"Kepong"
"How old are you?"
"20" I said.
I dunno why I still want to answer him.
Before I got into the ticket checker machine, I turned to him. And he said "If you want, next time". But I dun have his contact number.. Haha no no just kiddinng.
Oh gosh. I feel like want to vomit. I hope I will never see him again. I cannot recall his face now, but I think he will know me. So I am kinda afraid of him for no reason.
I suddenly realized learning martial arts is good in handling this kinda thing. At least can protect yourself. But I am just a Taekwondo... Yellow belt =P
I just keep on looking back to make sure he is not tracking my footsteps.
But if he really did, I also dunno how to do. Kick? Punch? Or pretend nothing happen? Argh
"If we ever meet again.."
Sounds very brokeback.
Train arived earlier today and I dunno why today I board on it so easily. The door just opened in front of me. I still checking if he really boarded on the same coach as me.
Haha.
I really wish I will never see this gay guy again. For whatever reason. Or I will ask Suhana accompany me next time (Supposingly is the other way round) xD
Sunday, July 10, 2011
Sunday
A typical Sunday.
What you normally will do in this day?
When I am back in hometown, Sunday morning is the day where the whole family will go for a breakfast together. Dim sum, hawker centers, bak kut teh, you name it, but all depends which 1 we feel like to go the most.
In utp, Sunday morning is the time we can get extra sleep. Sleep until afternoon 2 or 3 pm. That's normal for UTP students.
Now working life. Sunday morning is the day I no need work. So is also same like in UTP. Just continue sleeping to get more rest, so jiu will miss the family tradition going to breakfast together. Like today 12 pm only wake up.
But no matter Saturday or Sunday, when it is around 6 am, I will wake up automatically. The body biological clock is set to be like this. But very fast will sleep back, because these 2 days no ned work. Haha.
Sunday for me now, is the day to get more sleep because during working days I will find it difficult to cope with insufficient sleep.
Don't think about going elsewhere for entertainment. That is nearly impossible. I might as well stay at home. Lets see what hold me back for going mega shopping malls for entertainments, if I were to go to:
Mid Valley- Hmm worst idea. It is terlampau besar. Going to it by train is ok, but not with car. People like me will drown easily in tat kinda road.
Times Square- Worse still. Driving into city center is always a nightmare. Not to mention public transport. KTM then to Monorail. Come on.. you know the deal
One U- The most easy target I can reach with ease. But Saturday and Sunday the place is crowded. And I hate finding parking. Dun think I can enjoy so much though going on Sunday.
Tropicana City Mall- Not familiar with the roads.
SOGO- Not interested.
Selayang Mall- Will go only to play badminton.
The Curve- Not ngam teenagers.
Pavillion- Good idea. But crowded as well. Need driving into city center. Nuisance. Public transport, stop thinking of using public transport.
IKEA- Very brilliant idea. Will leave it to the day for shopping when I wan buy nice nice house equipments and
When I am in good mode or extremely relax mode, I find using public transport is fun and interesting. I always try to enjoy. This is how we can learn to do it.
So what's left are just Jusco, Carrefour, Tesco and Brem Mall Kepong. When we come out for dinner on Sunday, we will stop by these places. But often a quick one. Because for those who need to work and school the next day, Sunday night seems priceless for it's the only time to enjoy. Got so near yet so far de feel.
Today I realized some song lyrics are meant to be remembered de. I find myself quite outdated for sometimes I listen dao the songs I dunno the song name. The nex time I listen dao I jiu very like the song.
Like now "Like a G6, Like a G6" Keep spinning in my mind.
Today dinner everybody is talking bout Bersih Rally 2.0 and the coming general election.
If there is another rally like this, I wish I could be on the real scene to experience it. With you. Haha. Dont you think rally like this in Malaysia is somehow adventurous? Haha. Doing something crazy but meaningful with so many people. It could be a life-long experience worth remembrance.
Ok gonna sleep d. Good night world =) See you tomorrow.
What you normally will do in this day?
When I am back in hometown, Sunday morning is the day where the whole family will go for a breakfast together. Dim sum, hawker centers, bak kut teh, you name it, but all depends which 1 we feel like to go the most.
In utp, Sunday morning is the time we can get extra sleep. Sleep until afternoon 2 or 3 pm. That's normal for UTP students.
Now working life. Sunday morning is the day I no need work. So is also same like in UTP. Just continue sleeping to get more rest, so jiu will miss the family tradition going to breakfast together. Like today 12 pm only wake up.
But no matter Saturday or Sunday, when it is around 6 am, I will wake up automatically. The body biological clock is set to be like this. But very fast will sleep back, because these 2 days no ned work. Haha.
Sunday for me now, is the day to get more sleep because during working days I will find it difficult to cope with insufficient sleep.
Don't think about going elsewhere for entertainment. That is nearly impossible. I might as well stay at home. Lets see what hold me back for going mega shopping malls for entertainments, if I were to go to:
Mid Valley- Hmm worst idea. It is terlampau besar. Going to it by train is ok, but not with car. People like me will drown easily in tat kinda road.
Times Square- Worse still. Driving into city center is always a nightmare. Not to mention public transport. KTM then to Monorail. Come on.. you know the deal
One U- The most easy target I can reach with ease. But Saturday and Sunday the place is crowded. And I hate finding parking. Dun think I can enjoy so much though going on Sunday.
Tropicana City Mall- Not familiar with the roads.
SOGO- Not interested.
Selayang Mall- Will go only to play badminton.
The Curve- Not ngam teenagers.
Pavillion- Good idea. But crowded as well. Need driving into city center. Nuisance. Public transport, stop thinking of using public transport.
IKEA- Very brilliant idea. Will leave it to the day for shopping when I wan buy nice nice house equipments and
When I am in good mode or extremely relax mode, I find using public transport is fun and interesting. I always try to enjoy. This is how we can learn to do it.
So what's left are just Jusco, Carrefour, Tesco and Brem Mall Kepong. When we come out for dinner on Sunday, we will stop by these places. But often a quick one. Because for those who need to work and school the next day, Sunday night seems priceless for it's the only time to enjoy. Got so near yet so far de feel.
Today I realized some song lyrics are meant to be remembered de. I find myself quite outdated for sometimes I listen dao the songs I dunno the song name. The nex time I listen dao I jiu very like the song.
Like now "Like a G6, Like a G6" Keep spinning in my mind.
Today dinner everybody is talking bout Bersih Rally 2.0 and the coming general election.
If there is another rally like this, I wish I could be on the real scene to experience it. With you. Haha. Dont you think rally like this in Malaysia is somehow adventurous? Haha. Doing something crazy but meaningful with so many people. It could be a life-long experience worth remembrance.
Ok gonna sleep d. Good night world =) See you tomorrow.
Saturday, July 9, 2011
印尼‧今後難見好萊塢
（印尼）印尼電影愛好者將有好一段時間都無法觀賞到最新的好萊塢電影，稅務糾紛使到美國電影公司決定抵制印尼市場。
自從美國電影協會（Motion Picture Association, MPA）今年2月起停止向印尼發行影片，當地電影院業者嘗試以本地電影和一些原已被淘汰的B級外國電影來填補空缺，但電影院收入卻開始下滑。
除了可以從中獲利的盜版商之外，這種情況對任何人都沒有好處。
盜版商雅尼（Yani）接受訪問時稱：“顧客們都在找類似《速度與激情 5》（Fast Five）、《黑天鵝》和《雷神》（Thor）這樣的電影，因為他們根本沒辦法在電影院看到。”
“他們投訴我的影碟素質差，若有選擇的話，他們是絕對不會買來看的。但我沒什麼好抱怨的，因為我的生意實在很好。”
她說，自從美國電影協會停止供應最新的好萊塢電影給印尼後，她的生意至少上升了五成。
雅加達最大的電影院線之一正在上映2007年的葡萄牙電影《精英部隊》（Elite Squad）和2008年的《我的野蠻女友》，最新的美國電影是去年的《源代碼》（Source Code）；難怪電影院門可羅雀。
代表全國240家電影院的印尼電影公司聯盟（Indonesian Cinema Companies Union）主席斯加夫汀（Djonny Sjafruddin）表示：“一年130部或大約一半在印尼上映的電影都是來自美國電影協會，這當中包括華納兄弟（Warner Bros）、環球影城（Universal Studios）和20世紀霍士（Twentieth Century Fox）等美國製片商。”
斯加夫汀透露：“金錢上來說，這相當於本地電影院總收入的60%到70%。”
“美國電影協會的這項舉動已明顯傷害到我們。我們將每天上映的電影減少到4至5部，也暫停了週末的午夜場。如果問題沒有獲得解決的話，我們可能全都必須關閉了。”
電影業者投訴，自去年6月開始，他們必須繳交22.5%的版權稅以將影片帶入印尼。
斯加夫汀說：“美國電影協會認為這個很不公平。政府承諾會解決這個問題但卻拖延了很久。”
文化及旅遊部長庫斯瓦拉（Ukus Kuswara）說，政府和美國電影協會正商討一個“兩全的方案”。他拒絕透露詳情，與此同時，這期間不會有任何新的好萊塢電影在印尼上映。
他說：“這可以說不是稅額的問題，而是實施機制的問題。”他補充，美國熱門電影很快就會重返印尼市場。
電影局總監魯沙（Syamsul Lussa）另一方面則惹火了本地的電影愛好者。他早前到了法國參加康城影展，卻沒有留在國內解決問題。
許多人都帶著諷刺的口吻，質問他是否很享受影展上播映的好萊塢影片。
自從爆發抵制事件之後，印尼影迷錯過了讓娜塔麗．波特曼（Natalie Portman）獲封金像獎影后的《黑天鵝》，還有《真實的勇氣》（True Grit）、《127小時》（127Hours）、《雷神》和《加勒比海盜：驚濤怪浪》（Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides）等好萊塢大片。
斯加夫汀說：“更慘的是，還未推出的《哈里波特與死亡聖器續集》（Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:Part 2）也即將被腰斬。”
法新社記者最近去到雅加達其中兩家電影院觀察時，發現只有三三兩兩的人排隊買票觀賞已於2009年推出的舊片《靈界替身》（The New Daughter）和《功夫小子》（Kung Fu Kid）。
現年30歲的電影院顧客涅尼（Nenny Triyana）失望地說：“我原以為大型電影院會有新戲上映，但這裡播的全都是舊作，太令人失望了。”
25歲的艾玲（Irene Ibrahim）則表示為印尼感到丟臉。
她說：“巴林的朋友在她面子書上說《雷神》是那麼地好看，而我在印尼卻只能上Youtube看預告片，多麼地可悲啊！”
“全世界都在播新片，只有我們在看陳年老片。我才不管他們之間有些什麼爭執，我只知道身為一名電影愛好者，我沒有其他的選擇，只能將就看一些會讓我頭痛的爛戲。”
一名不願具名的雅加達戲院經理受詢時指出：“顧客不滿，我們的員工首當其衝。”
“他們甚至會對我們咆哮，質問我們是不是要他們為了看一部電影而千里迢迢去到新加坡或是澳洲。”
同時，網民們也開始躁動。其中一名部落客丹奴維多（Rizky Danurwindo）說：“好萊塢電影的缺席，將會是這個國家的巨大損失。”（原文：法新社）
英文版：Indonesians despair over Hollywood boycott
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
你知道嗎？
印尼政府為保護國產影片成長、復興國內製片業，從今年1月起向進口電影征收迄至23.75%的進口稅，以及對發行的每卷影片征收每公尺43美仙的專利權稅。與此同時，政府擬壓低國內影片生產稅，即從之前的10%減至0%。
由於印尼政府的這項決策，印尼進口電影公司聯合會決定不再進口外國電影，美國電影協會（MPA）亦拒絕向印尼發行好萊塢影片。美國電影協會、印尼進口電影公司聯合會，及印尼電影院業者都認為，針對影片發行權徵收關稅並不合理，因為世界各國都沒有這類稅務。
今年6月，財政部再度宣佈，課以外國影片的關稅上漲100%，其他增值稅和所得稅則照舊。財政部長阿古斯．馬爾托瓦爾多約（Agus Martowardojo）早前表示，票房影片或非票房影片，都將課以相等的關稅率，以發揮篩選作用，讓進口商只引入高質量的影片，避免外國影片充斥市場。依據印尼影片法令，國產影片和進口影片的比率是60:40。
然而，對於政府保護國產片的措施，印尼電影製作人占．帕爾威茲不諱言，本地影片市場的確在縮小中，但政府若真的要推動本地電影業的發展，更應該調降本地影片稅務，直接減輕電影製作的成本負擔。他認為，政府不應該只是想到稅收，而是如何塑造更好的環境，推動本地電影業。
他說，對於創意產業來講，對進口影片徵收更多稅務，並不利於本地電影業的發展。這種過於保護國產影片的舉措造成沒有進口電影，將使國產影片失去競爭對手，形成一個不健康的發展環境。（印尼星洲日報）
中英對照：
‧電影著作：blockbuster
‧電影公司／製作室：studio
‧抵制：boycott
‧票房收入：takings
‧放映：screening
‧版稅：royalty
‧實施機制：imposition mechanism
‧票房巨作：box-office hits
‧部落格空間：blogosphere
‧沸騰：seethe
自從美國電影協會（Motion Picture Association, MPA）今年2月起停止向印尼發行影片，當地電影院業者嘗試以本地電影和一些原已被淘汰的B級外國電影來填補空缺，但電影院收入卻開始下滑。
除了可以從中獲利的盜版商之外，這種情況對任何人都沒有好處。
盜版商雅尼（Yani）接受訪問時稱：“顧客們都在找類似《速度與激情 5》（Fast Five）、《黑天鵝》和《雷神》（Thor）這樣的電影，因為他們根本沒辦法在電影院看到。”
“他們投訴我的影碟素質差，若有選擇的話，他們是絕對不會買來看的。但我沒什麼好抱怨的，因為我的生意實在很好。”
她說，自從美國電影協會停止供應最新的好萊塢電影給印尼後，她的生意至少上升了五成。
雅加達最大的電影院線之一正在上映2007年的葡萄牙電影《精英部隊》（Elite Squad）和2008年的《我的野蠻女友》，最新的美國電影是去年的《源代碼》（Source Code）；難怪電影院門可羅雀。
代表全國240家電影院的印尼電影公司聯盟（Indonesian Cinema Companies Union）主席斯加夫汀（Djonny Sjafruddin）表示：“一年130部或大約一半在印尼上映的電影都是來自美國電影協會，這當中包括華納兄弟（Warner Bros）、環球影城（Universal Studios）和20世紀霍士（Twentieth Century Fox）等美國製片商。”
斯加夫汀透露：“金錢上來說，這相當於本地電影院總收入的60%到70%。”
“美國電影協會的這項舉動已明顯傷害到我們。我們將每天上映的電影減少到4至5部，也暫停了週末的午夜場。如果問題沒有獲得解決的話，我們可能全都必須關閉了。”
電影業者投訴，自去年6月開始，他們必須繳交22.5%的版權稅以將影片帶入印尼。
斯加夫汀說：“美國電影協會認為這個很不公平。政府承諾會解決這個問題但卻拖延了很久。”
文化及旅遊部長庫斯瓦拉（Ukus Kuswara）說，政府和美國電影協會正商討一個“兩全的方案”。他拒絕透露詳情，與此同時，這期間不會有任何新的好萊塢電影在印尼上映。
他說：“這可以說不是稅額的問題，而是實施機制的問題。”他補充，美國熱門電影很快就會重返印尼市場。
電影局總監魯沙（Syamsul Lussa）另一方面則惹火了本地的電影愛好者。他早前到了法國參加康城影展，卻沒有留在國內解決問題。
許多人都帶著諷刺的口吻，質問他是否很享受影展上播映的好萊塢影片。
自從爆發抵制事件之後，印尼影迷錯過了讓娜塔麗．波特曼（Natalie Portman）獲封金像獎影后的《黑天鵝》，還有《真實的勇氣》（True Grit）、《127小時》（127Hours）、《雷神》和《加勒比海盜：驚濤怪浪》（Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides）等好萊塢大片。
斯加夫汀說：“更慘的是，還未推出的《哈里波特與死亡聖器續集》（Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows:Part 2）也即將被腰斬。”
法新社記者最近去到雅加達其中兩家電影院觀察時，發現只有三三兩兩的人排隊買票觀賞已於2009年推出的舊片《靈界替身》（The New Daughter）和《功夫小子》（Kung Fu Kid）。
現年30歲的電影院顧客涅尼（Nenny Triyana）失望地說：“我原以為大型電影院會有新戲上映，但這裡播的全都是舊作，太令人失望了。”
25歲的艾玲（Irene Ibrahim）則表示為印尼感到丟臉。
她說：“巴林的朋友在她面子書上說《雷神》是那麼地好看，而我在印尼卻只能上Youtube看預告片，多麼地可悲啊！”
“全世界都在播新片，只有我們在看陳年老片。我才不管他們之間有些什麼爭執，我只知道身為一名電影愛好者，我沒有其他的選擇，只能將就看一些會讓我頭痛的爛戲。”
一名不願具名的雅加達戲院經理受詢時指出：“顧客不滿，我們的員工首當其衝。”
“他們甚至會對我們咆哮，質問我們是不是要他們為了看一部電影而千里迢迢去到新加坡或是澳洲。”
同時，網民們也開始躁動。其中一名部落客丹奴維多（Rizky Danurwindo）說：“好萊塢電影的缺席，將會是這個國家的巨大損失。”（原文：法新社）
英文版：Indonesians despair over Hollywood boycott
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
你知道嗎？
印尼政府為保護國產影片成長、復興國內製片業，從今年1月起向進口電影征收迄至23.75%的進口稅，以及對發行的每卷影片征收每公尺43美仙的專利權稅。與此同時，政府擬壓低國內影片生產稅，即從之前的10%減至0%。
由於印尼政府的這項決策，印尼進口電影公司聯合會決定不再進口外國電影，美國電影協會（MPA）亦拒絕向印尼發行好萊塢影片。美國電影協會、印尼進口電影公司聯合會，及印尼電影院業者都認為，針對影片發行權徵收關稅並不合理，因為世界各國都沒有這類稅務。
今年6月，財政部再度宣佈，課以外國影片的關稅上漲100%，其他增值稅和所得稅則照舊。財政部長阿古斯．馬爾托瓦爾多約（Agus Martowardojo）早前表示，票房影片或非票房影片，都將課以相等的關稅率，以發揮篩選作用，讓進口商只引入高質量的影片，避免外國影片充斥市場。依據印尼影片法令，國產影片和進口影片的比率是60:40。
然而，對於政府保護國產片的措施，印尼電影製作人占．帕爾威茲不諱言，本地影片市場的確在縮小中，但政府若真的要推動本地電影業的發展，更應該調降本地影片稅務，直接減輕電影製作的成本負擔。他認為，政府不應該只是想到稅收，而是如何塑造更好的環境，推動本地電影業。
他說，對於創意產業來講，對進口影片徵收更多稅務，並不利於本地電影業的發展。這種過於保護國產影片的舉措造成沒有進口電影，將使國產影片失去競爭對手，形成一個不健康的發展環境。（印尼星洲日報）
中英對照：
‧電影著作：blockbuster
‧電影公司／製作室：studio
‧抵制：boycott
‧票房收入：takings
‧放映：screening
‧版稅：royalty
‧實施機制：imposition mechanism
‧票房巨作：box-office hits
‧部落格空間：blogosphere
‧沸騰：seethe
Friday, July 8, 2011
Lunch
When it is lunch hour, everybody is excited.
This time we are not going to Pizza Hut or Domino, but IKEA. Hehe I never know we will go IKEA for lunch, we are not buying any furniture or fitting.
Long queue. I dun even noe this a favourite spot for lunch. I can see all walks of life here, kids, students, babies, teenagers, old folks, and ang mor.
I guess it is because of the menu and diet that attract them here. Really alot of choices here. Got kids menu also. So is a very ideal place to have lunch with family. Today's special is salmon with ... some herbs or fries.
Hmm this one seems delicious. I like the carrotss there.
After long time of waiting, this is what we buy dao. For 3 persons. Looked very little only but we cannot finish at last.
I buy de, wanna share with them de.
But ended up like this, they don't provide take-away service, so no plastic bags. We use tissue. Ah. Everyone is just too full. Because soft drinks can refill unlimited times de. And the French Fries are extra large in size and quantity de. We seem like to eat that only, even though we still left some unfinished. Actually not some. Is many.
I ordered one chicken chop, pasta with tomato sauce and the udang sejuk.
Sphia and Jen ordered Swedish herb beef meatballs with fries. I heard that is the best thing to eat here. They also ordered appetizers, one slice of almondy daim cake, hmm this really taste good as well. Put in mouth jiu melt d, with many layers of butter, cheese and groundnut. and Jen with her small beef meatballs set and she even bought a whole almondy daim cake after the lunch. She said the cake very delicious.
The pasta which looks very not delicious but in fact very delicous. Really like it so much. The pasta is so soft and the tomato sauce.. Woah.
Meet UTP seniors and friends here! STE Nabila and her friends. We took Business Statistics and IPM together de. They remembered me. Haha so smile and bertegur sapa. Yeah
So if wanna compare another lunch taken a few days ago in Tropicana City Mall,..
Combo Bad Ass Coffee House..
Both are equally good. But I like IKEA more. Eating inside a shopping mall and eating inside a specialised store is very different. And I like the latter. Tat day in the coffee house I ordered Fish & Chips. By comparing the western food, I like IKEA de more also. More delicious.
So it is weekend ahead! With Bersih Rally... Haha if you choose not to join jiu stay at home only, but if you have decided to go, just take care. ^.^
Good luck & Good night. Haha
This time we are not going to Pizza Hut or Domino, but IKEA. Hehe I never know we will go IKEA for lunch, we are not buying any furniture or fitting.
Long queue. I dun even noe this a favourite spot for lunch. I can see all walks of life here, kids, students, babies, teenagers, old folks, and ang mor.
I guess it is because of the menu and diet that attract them here. Really alot of choices here. Got kids menu also. So is a very ideal place to have lunch with family. Today's special is salmon with ... some herbs or fries.
Hmm this one seems delicious. I like the carrotss there. 
After long time of waiting, this is what we buy dao. For 3 persons. Looked very little only but we cannot finish at last. 
I buy de, wanna share with them de. 
But ended up like this, they don't provide take-away service, so no plastic bags. We use tissue. Ah. Everyone is just too full. Because soft drinks can refill unlimited times de. And the French Fries are extra large in size and quantity de. We seem like to eat that only, even though we still left some unfinished. Actually not some. Is many.I ordered one chicken chop, pasta with tomato sauce and the udang sejuk.
Sphia and Jen ordered Swedish herb beef meatballs with fries. I heard that is the best thing to eat here. They also ordered appetizers, one slice of almondy daim cake, hmm this really taste good as well. Put in mouth jiu melt d, with many layers of butter, cheese and groundnut. and Jen with her small beef meatballs set and she even bought a whole almondy daim cake after the lunch. She said the cake very delicious.
The pasta which looks very not delicious but in fact very delicous. Really like it so much. The pasta is so soft and the tomato sauce.. Woah. 
Meet UTP seniors and friends here! STE Nabila and her friends. We took Business Statistics and IPM together de. They remembered me. Haha so smile and bertegur sapa. YeahSo if wanna compare another lunch taken a few days ago in Tropicana City Mall,..
Combo Bad Ass Coffee House..
Both are equally good. But I like IKEA more. Eating inside a shopping mall and eating inside a specialised store is very different. And I like the latter. Tat day in the coffee house I ordered Fish & Chips. By comparing the western food, I like IKEA de more also. More delicious.
So it is weekend ahead! With Bersih Rally... Haha if you choose not to join jiu stay at home only, but if you have decided to go, just take care. ^.^
Good luck & Good night. Haha
Thursday, July 7, 2011
Tomorrow is Friday
Friday is always the day to look ahead to. Because after Friday is 2 days break.
Tomorrow Sophia will bring us out for lunch! With her BMW. Woah, I like to sit her car.
So we either go Domino Pizza, because Suhana has some vouchers, or Pizza Hut, or other good restaurants we might think of at that time.
I feel like want to go Pizza Hut more. The very last time eating Pizza hut's pizza was in Batu Gajah. With CK.
The pizzas available on the menu always looks small. So tat time we order another appetizers. Some sorts of seafood meatball. In the end, we cannot finish the whole set we ordered. The bread, mushroom soup and a small slice of the cheesy pizza will just do enough to fill up the stomach.
Just hope tomorrow's train isn't crowded like today's. But I know is impossible de. Boarding in train is another strength exercise you can do it every working days. Win a place on a train at this hour is not easy o. Keep it up xD
People inside the train and outside the train scolding each other is another interesting encounter. When the door open, the inside people haven get out, and the outside people are already pushing inwards. So it is like a pushing game. But always is inside de people win de. Because always got some leaders shout, yell and scream to those pushing pushing. And when the coach is full of people, no more space for a fly to fly in also, the outside people will continue to knock on the window waving to passengers inside to move inside.. WTF no more space de still wan knock and wave and continue saying: "Dalam lagi dalam lagi" Argh
You can actually see many frustated faces inside the train, especially ladies. When male passengers bu xiao xin touch dao them they will produce some very loud sound, like when we bu shuang we will produce de that sound. Something like "Zek". With their angry and protective posture.
Malaysian culture.
Very interesting.
Feel very easy to adapt to.
But KTM is still lapsap. Please government, privatize it and allows competitors to come in. Got competitors means better services. Otherwise, KTM jiu zhen de become "Kamu Tumbang Munasabah". Haih
Tomorrow Sophia will bring us out for lunch! With her BMW. Woah, I like to sit her car.
So we either go Domino Pizza, because Suhana has some vouchers, or Pizza Hut, or other good restaurants we might think of at that time.
I feel like want to go Pizza Hut more. The very last time eating Pizza hut's pizza was in Batu Gajah. With CK.
The pizzas available on the menu always looks small. So tat time we order another appetizers. Some sorts of seafood meatball. In the end, we cannot finish the whole set we ordered. The bread, mushroom soup and a small slice of the cheesy pizza will just do enough to fill up the stomach.
Just hope tomorrow's train isn't crowded like today's. But I know is impossible de. Boarding in train is another strength exercise you can do it every working days. Win a place on a train at this hour is not easy o. Keep it up xD
People inside the train and outside the train scolding each other is another interesting encounter. When the door open, the inside people haven get out, and the outside people are already pushing inwards. So it is like a pushing game. But always is inside de people win de. Because always got some leaders shout, yell and scream to those pushing pushing. And when the coach is full of people, no more space for a fly to fly in also, the outside people will continue to knock on the window waving to passengers inside to move inside.. WTF no more space de still wan knock and wave and continue saying: "Dalam lagi dalam lagi" Argh
You can actually see many frustated faces inside the train, especially ladies. When male passengers bu xiao xin touch dao them they will produce some very loud sound, like when we bu shuang we will produce de that sound. Something like "Zek". With their angry and protective posture.
Malaysian culture.
Very interesting.
Feel very easy to adapt to.
But KTM is still lapsap. Please government, privatize it and allows competitors to come in. Got competitors means better services. Otherwise, KTM jiu zhen de become "Kamu Tumbang Munasabah". Haih
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
New things to try out
First time arrived in KL Sentral so early at this time, 7.30 am.
Full of people.
So I went Guardian there wait Suhana. She not yet here. So I go walk walk.
See dao McD. Suddenly feel very eager wan eat. Niasing so many ppl queing up, so jiu go linger around.
So many restaurants served breakfast, SwissOven, Rasamas, McD.. and got free newspapers. The Sun and Dong Fang.
Thinking of wan sitting down to read but d late. 7.55 am. Suhana not yet here. I dunno where to wait for the van because this time my 1st time using CIMB van service. So I called her. No ppl answer. I very scare haha
Then soon after that, she called me back. Asking me not to go up the escalators. But I d there. The van is always punctual de 8 am. So she asked me quickly come down. She come to bring me.
It is on the other side waiting for the van de. See dao many familiar faces here. Bavaani, Joe and many others. I feel very happy can go office together with them, no ned drive alone, stuck in the jam, then terknock dao ppl de car haha xD
The van not yet here. But everyone look so relax, so I also feel great. Imagine if you go to work every morning with such mood, the working days are always shuang de.
The van arrived. 2 vans. Very red
I sit beside driver seat with Joe. The van is comfortable. The journey from KL Sentral to Jalan Semantan is just a 5 minute drive. Wow
Arrived in office around 8.15 am. Great ride.
Afta work went bac home with bus. I never really take bus in KL. I think can count using fingers. But the bus is also comfortable. I love riding bus, I jus dunno y. Riding with bus is fun because u no ned focus on traffic, even it is jamming, and you can see whatever happening outside.
But going bac home from KL Sentral is a terrible experience at this time. Ppl pushing each other when boarding on the train. No mercy de. No space d jiu shi wan keep pushing. Argh everyone become sardin fish d.
Got bac home late, but actually is ok compare to driving. At least no ned waste time, energy and money.
Full of people.
So I went Guardian there wait Suhana. She not yet here. So I go walk walk.
See dao McD. Suddenly feel very eager wan eat. Niasing so many ppl queing up, so jiu go linger around.
So many restaurants served breakfast, SwissOven, Rasamas, McD.. and got free newspapers. The Sun and Dong Fang.
Thinking of wan sitting down to read but d late. 7.55 am. Suhana not yet here. I dunno where to wait for the van because this time my 1st time using CIMB van service. So I called her. No ppl answer. I very scare haha
Then soon after that, she called me back. Asking me not to go up the escalators. But I d there. The van is always punctual de 8 am. So she asked me quickly come down. She come to bring me.
It is on the other side waiting for the van de. See dao many familiar faces here. Bavaani, Joe and many others. I feel very happy can go office together with them, no ned drive alone, stuck in the jam, then terknock dao ppl de car haha xD
The van not yet here. But everyone look so relax, so I also feel great. Imagine if you go to work every morning with such mood, the working days are always shuang de.
The van arrived. 2 vans. Very red
I sit beside driver seat with Joe. The van is comfortable. The journey from KL Sentral to Jalan Semantan is just a 5 minute drive. Wow
Arrived in office around 8.15 am. Great ride.
Afta work went bac home with bus. I never really take bus in KL. I think can count using fingers. But the bus is also comfortable. I love riding bus, I jus dunno y. Riding with bus is fun because u no ned focus on traffic, even it is jamming, and you can see whatever happening outside.
But going bac home from KL Sentral is a terrible experience at this time. Ppl pushing each other when boarding on the train. No mercy de. No space d jiu shi wan keep pushing. Argh everyone become sardin fish d.
Got bac home late, but actually is ok compare to driving. At least no ned waste time, energy and money.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Kay Tse 谢安琪‧逆境中笑看花开
谢安琪，仿佛中了娱乐圈的魔咒般，总是被千丝万缕的绯闻缠身。或许，理想与现实曾经令她心灰意冷，瑟缩在窠臼里出脱不得，甚至没有勇气窥探世界。但是，在逆境中愈挫愈勇的谢安琪，经历了风霜的洗礼后傲然挺立，悠然享受沿路上盛开的灿烂花朵，自苦寒中幽幽吐露之扑鼻芳香。她坚信大爱永存，你们的真诚笑脸，就是最好的回报。
风霜中站稳脚步
谢安琪的负面新闻一浪接一浪，从隆胸、整容、唱歌走调、介入陈奕迅的婚姻至惨遭炮轰的“吃屎论”，矛头永远都是指向她。“我是遇到特别多挫折的歌手，总是有狗仔队恶意中伤我，还抹黑我的另一半、家人及朋友，所以我更应该把握这个机会，去告诉大家香港这股风气不可长。这类八卦杂志很短视，他们企图大做文章，用夸张的手法去吸引读者购买，从而增加销售量来赚钱。每个稍微有发展的歌手，都被乱写一通，永远只出一、两张专辑，因为一开始红起来就被写‘死’了！”Kay 自言能够坚持至今是一个奇迹，她希望大家从自己的身上体会到：其实这个歌手没什么，她唱歌很认真，演出很有诚意，专辑又很好听，但还是整天被八卦杂志攻击，这种不良风气就是拖跨整个娱乐行业其中一个很大的凶手。“你可以一走了之，也可以选择留下。走，其实轻松一点；留，需要更大勇气。我要透过我所做的一切，证明给大家看我是个怎样的人，他有他写假的报道，我有我做真实的事，就看看谁的力量大一点！”完整内容，可在《 Newtide 新潮》 2011 年 6 月号阅读。
Monday, July 4, 2011
10 Things College Financial Aid Offices Will Not Tell You
1. "You waited until April? Sorry, we gave your money away."
At first glance, the amount of financial aid available to students seems like a gold mine. According to education testing and information organization The College Board, students received over $122 billion in aid last year for undergraduate and graduate study; more than $111 billion came from the federal government alone. Problem is, you'll need a treasure map to find your share. The bewildering aid-application process stumps thousands of families each year, leaving many to pay more tuition than they have to. Lots of students miss out on aid because of the confusing deadlines for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (Fafsa), which everybody must complete to be considered for government grants and subsidized loans. The forms, which are available from colleges and at www.fafsa.ed.gov, are reviewed first by the government and then by your student's prospective school. While the deadline on the form is June 30, many schools' individual aid deadlines -- listed in the colleges' materials but not on the Fafsa forms -- are as early as February.
If you're the parent of a high school senior, keep a list of all the schools' different deadlines. To play it safe, though, apply for aid as soon as any admissions applications are in the mail -- as in now. "Families need to submit their financial aid info as soon as they can after Jan. 1 preceding the student's freshman year," says Barry Simmons, aid director at Virginia Tech. While the forms typically ask for the previous year's tax information -- a common reason parents postpone applying until April -- it's completely legit to estimate tax figures based on last year's return and update them later.
2. "Your error, your problem."
If you fail to fill in some key parts of your Fafsa, the central processor will reject your form, sending it back to you and not to the prospective schools, resulting in a potentially costly delay. One error that parents make: putting their income and tax information in the student section or vice versa, which can't be fixed by the machine scanning the form. As a safeguard, Ohio State aid director Tally Hart recommends using the online form at fafsa.ed.gov; it will alert you if you leave questions blank and can even recognize some obvious errors, such as household income of $50,000 combined with a $5 million mortgage. Of course, there are many circumstances that can't be fully explained on a Fafsa form -- say, if a family member was recently laid off. In that case, officers recommend writing a letter to the aid office stating your family's financial situation and mailing it at the same time as your Fafsa. Just make sure the letter goes directly to the college. Too many people "send a letter with the Fafsa [to the government office], and it's just destroyed," says Mark Lindenmeyer, aid director at Loyola College in Maryland.
3. "Our low tuition rate means less financial aid."
Many parents who haven't saved enough for college tell their gifted high school seniors not to consider pricey private schools. Ironically, those colleges may actually be the more affordable alternative. "The more expensive and prestigious the school," says Bedford, Mass., financial planner Tom Brooks, "the more likely it is well endowed and can meet 100% of need," thanks to alumni donation campaigns. "You might be sending your kid to a state school that [for you] costs more than a Harvard or an MIT or a Stanford."
To estimate how likely it is that your preferred schools will give you substantial aid, check a few statistics with the colleges themselves or using the annual "America's Best Colleges" survey in U.S. News & World Report, available at usnews.com for $14.95. Look for two figures: the percentage of undergraduates receiving grants meeting financial need, and the college's average discount, which is the percentage of a student's total costs -- including tuition, room and board, and books -- covered by grants. If they're both 50% or better, you can feel assured that your needs will be fairly met.
4. "You'll pay dearly for early decision."
Early decision is a big temptation at elite colleges: Students can apply months before other applicants, as long as they promise to attend if admitted. In most cases, the college offers these applicants a better chance of acceptance. But when it comes to getting aid, early decision can backfire. Why? Your commitment to attend if accepted means you have less leverage. "If you went to an auto dealership and threw yourself across the hood of a car and told them you would do anything to have that car, you're not in a very good negotiating position," says Linda P. Taylor, a certified college planning specialist in Agoura Hills, Calif.
If aid is your top priority, you're better off skipping early decision. Especially if your kid's SAT scores and GPA are above the college median, and she excels in extracurricular activities. If she applies in the spring and gets admitted, she'll have a better shot at negotiating a rich aid package.
5. "We don't buy your pauper act."
Every year parents are tempted to cheat the aid system by trying to look poorer on paper -- by going on a spending spree, perhaps. There are, however, some perfectly acceptable ways to adjust your assets to maximize your aid potential. Step one is to trim any assets held in the child's name -- in particular, custodial accounts (UGMAs or UTMAs), up to 35% of which the aid system will say should go toward next year's tuition. For assets in the parents' names, the rate is a much lower 5.65%. "Technically, parents can't touch UGMAs except for the benefit of the child, above and beyond food and clothing," says Tom Brooks. But "you can use the UGMA to pay for things like summer camp, tutoring, school trips or a car [for the kid], thus diminishing the account."
But if you're looking to sock away some free-floating cash in your name, you could give up to $11,000 each -- any more will trigger the gift tax -- to grandparents or other relatives outside your household, who could then help pay tuition bills; aid officers can't touch their assets. If your kid is a few years from college, be sure to contribute the maximum to 401(k)s or IRAs. Colleges won't expect you to tap retirement savings to pay your share of tuition.
6. "We'll judge you by your house . . . and your car."
Fortunately for homeowners, the value of your house doesn't get considered in most aid formulas. On the flip side, if you're paying a fat mortgage or sky-high property taxes to live in an elite suburb, colleges likely won't be too sympathetic. Here's why: To determine aid, colleges calculate your expected family contribution from your adjusted gross income and assets. They usually don't consider what your real disposable income is or how cash-strapped you might be after paying your stack of bills. "A moderately high-earning family spending most of its income on housing and other necessities may find that their expected family contribution is difficult or impossible to meet," says Roger Dooley, co-owner of Web site CollegeConfidential.com.
All is not lost, however. While most colleges do not automatically factor in regional cost-of-living discrepancies, some may if you ask. When writing or speaking to an aid officer during the application process, emphasize "involuntary" costs like taxes over voluntary ones like your mortgage, Dooley suggests. Your car is normally considered an involuntary expense, but elite schools sometimes ask what cars you own and when you bought them. If they're too new and too swank, they may be considered voluntary expenses.
7. "We'll let you borrow more than you can afford."
Vickie Hampton, an associate professor of financial planning at Texas Tech University, knows that being well educated can make you poor. A colleague of hers, she says, racked up more than $100,000 in debt while earning a Ph.D. in English. "There's very little probability of her paying that off in her lifetime!" Hampton says.
The predicament isn't unique, as more students take on excessive debt to finance degrees that lead to jobs in relatively low-paying fields. Unfortunately, college financial aid offices rarely discourage these decisions. While there are statutory limits on certain government loans -- based on lifetime borrowing caps -- there are fewer limits on loans from private lenders such as Sallie Mae, KeyBank or Citibank, three of the biggest players.
If your student must borrow, exhaust federal programs first. Perkins loans or subsidized Stafford loans -- both of which you may be offered after filing a Fafsa -- are best; their 5 and 5.3% rates, respectively, blow others out of the water, and interest doesn't accrue until the borrower leaves school. The Perkins, which you pay back directly to your school, is the slightly more flexible of the two, offering longer grace periods. Beware of unsubsidized Stafford loans, which your college may offer if your family doesn't qualify for subsidized loans. Although these loans have similar low rates, interest will accrue from the moment the loan is made, even though payments aren't yet required. While parents may also consider a federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) -- which currently carries a 6.1% rate and has a rate ceiling of 9% -- a home equity line may be a better bet, as it offers more generous tax benefits. Find more information on government loans at www.studentaid.ed.gov.
8. "Outside scholarships help us, not you."
Sure, you're proud of the five scholarships your high school senior won from community groups such as the Lions Club and a local church, but don't be relieved. Unless you weren't counting on any financial aid at all, those scholarships won't make a dent in how much you have to pay. "Many parents mistakenly think their cost will be diminished and then are disappointed to learn that it will actually be the grant [from the school] that is diminished, thus saving the college money and not the family," says Anne Macleod Weeks, director of college guidance at the Oldfields School in Glencoe, Md. Federal guidelines mandate that outside scholarship money be considered a resource in meeting financial need. This means you can't use the scholarship dollars toward your expected family contribution, and the college gets to reduce the amount of aid coming your way.
Even so, applying for outside awards can help you, especially if you're looking at an aid package that features more loans than grants. Ask your college if it can reduce the loans first, says Jim Eddy, aid director at Willamette University in Salem, Ore. "Secondly, it [can] reduce work-study." In that case, a few scholarships could still save thousands of dollars in interest and let your student study more and flip burgers less.
9. "We won't 'negotiate,' but we will 'review.'"
College financial aid guides have long urged parents to negotiate with aid offices, often suggesting you bring a better aid offer from a "competing" school to shame them into giving you more money. Tread lightly. Many aid directors hate this tactic. Some schools have strict no-negotiation policies, while others are only a little more approachable. "There's certainly no harm in asking a college to review an aid decision," says Loyola's Lindenmeyer. But "we do not negotiate, and we do not match other colleges."
So how do you request a "review"? When contacting your aid office to discuss your child's aid package, start by avoiding such words as "negotiate" or "bargain," says Virginia Tech's Simmons, and don't throw another school's aid award in an officer's face. Instead, thank the officer for his hard work and the school's generosity, then follow up by expressing doubt at being able to meet your family's contribution. If you haven't already done so in writing, explain any special circumstances you have, such as recent unemployment, a death in the family or medical bills. Then, directly but politely, ask if there's anything the aid office can do to help.
Once you've established a rapport with the officer, try casually mentioning that you have a competing offer and where else your student has been admitted. At the very least, aid officers may refer you to outside borrowing opportunities or payment plans. Whatever the response, don't push it. Remember, you'll be relying on this person's award decisions for the next three years.
10. "Thought freshman year was expensive?
Wait till senior year." Your kid just got her award letter and scored a fat four-year grant covering most of her tuition, with a small loan for the rest. You're set, right?
Not necessarily. Two problems get in the way. First, the amount of federally subsidized loans a student can borrow increases slightly each year; as a result, your college may expand the loans it offers in subsequent years and downsize grants. Second, many parents and students assume that four-year merit-based awards will keep pace with tuition hikes. "Very few schools are that generous," warns Willamette's Eddy. Nationwide, the average private school price tag jumped 6% from last year, with the average cost for resident students now just over $30,300. Assuming a steady 6% annual price increase and a constant $25,000 in aid each year, the $5,300 contribution you made toward your student's freshman year could grow to $11,088 by senior year.
If your child receives merit-based aid, ask whether the college can adjust it for tuition inflation. Regardless, make sure your scholar keeps hitting the books. A mediocre GPA can end a merit scholarship faster than roommates can devour a midnight pizza.
At first glance, the amount of financial aid available to students seems like a gold mine. According to education testing and information organization The College Board, students received over $122 billion in aid last year for undergraduate and graduate study; more than $111 billion came from the federal government alone. Problem is, you'll need a treasure map to find your share. The bewildering aid-application process stumps thousands of families each year, leaving many to pay more tuition than they have to. Lots of students miss out on aid because of the confusing deadlines for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (Fafsa), which everybody must complete to be considered for government grants and subsidized loans. The forms, which are available from colleges and at www.fafsa.ed.gov, are reviewed first by the government and then by your student's prospective school. While the deadline on the form is June 30, many schools' individual aid deadlines -- listed in the colleges' materials but not on the Fafsa forms -- are as early as February.
If you're the parent of a high school senior, keep a list of all the schools' different deadlines. To play it safe, though, apply for aid as soon as any admissions applications are in the mail -- as in now. "Families need to submit their financial aid info as soon as they can after Jan. 1 preceding the student's freshman year," says Barry Simmons, aid director at Virginia Tech. While the forms typically ask for the previous year's tax information -- a common reason parents postpone applying until April -- it's completely legit to estimate tax figures based on last year's return and update them later.
2. "Your error, your problem."
If you fail to fill in some key parts of your Fafsa, the central processor will reject your form, sending it back to you and not to the prospective schools, resulting in a potentially costly delay. One error that parents make: putting their income and tax information in the student section or vice versa, which can't be fixed by the machine scanning the form. As a safeguard, Ohio State aid director Tally Hart recommends using the online form at fafsa.ed.gov; it will alert you if you leave questions blank and can even recognize some obvious errors, such as household income of $50,000 combined with a $5 million mortgage. Of course, there are many circumstances that can't be fully explained on a Fafsa form -- say, if a family member was recently laid off. In that case, officers recommend writing a letter to the aid office stating your family's financial situation and mailing it at the same time as your Fafsa. Just make sure the letter goes directly to the college. Too many people "send a letter with the Fafsa [to the government office], and it's just destroyed," says Mark Lindenmeyer, aid director at Loyola College in Maryland.
3. "Our low tuition rate means less financial aid."
Many parents who haven't saved enough for college tell their gifted high school seniors not to consider pricey private schools. Ironically, those colleges may actually be the more affordable alternative. "The more expensive and prestigious the school," says Bedford, Mass., financial planner Tom Brooks, "the more likely it is well endowed and can meet 100% of need," thanks to alumni donation campaigns. "You might be sending your kid to a state school that [for you] costs more than a Harvard or an MIT or a Stanford."
To estimate how likely it is that your preferred schools will give you substantial aid, check a few statistics with the colleges themselves or using the annual "America's Best Colleges" survey in U.S. News & World Report, available at usnews.com for $14.95. Look for two figures: the percentage of undergraduates receiving grants meeting financial need, and the college's average discount, which is the percentage of a student's total costs -- including tuition, room and board, and books -- covered by grants. If they're both 50% or better, you can feel assured that your needs will be fairly met.
4. "You'll pay dearly for early decision."
Early decision is a big temptation at elite colleges: Students can apply months before other applicants, as long as they promise to attend if admitted. In most cases, the college offers these applicants a better chance of acceptance. But when it comes to getting aid, early decision can backfire. Why? Your commitment to attend if accepted means you have less leverage. "If you went to an auto dealership and threw yourself across the hood of a car and told them you would do anything to have that car, you're not in a very good negotiating position," says Linda P. Taylor, a certified college planning specialist in Agoura Hills, Calif.
If aid is your top priority, you're better off skipping early decision. Especially if your kid's SAT scores and GPA are above the college median, and she excels in extracurricular activities. If she applies in the spring and gets admitted, she'll have a better shot at negotiating a rich aid package.
5. "We don't buy your pauper act."
Every year parents are tempted to cheat the aid system by trying to look poorer on paper -- by going on a spending spree, perhaps. There are, however, some perfectly acceptable ways to adjust your assets to maximize your aid potential. Step one is to trim any assets held in the child's name -- in particular, custodial accounts (UGMAs or UTMAs), up to 35% of which the aid system will say should go toward next year's tuition. For assets in the parents' names, the rate is a much lower 5.65%. "Technically, parents can't touch UGMAs except for the benefit of the child, above and beyond food and clothing," says Tom Brooks. But "you can use the UGMA to pay for things like summer camp, tutoring, school trips or a car [for the kid], thus diminishing the account."
But if you're looking to sock away some free-floating cash in your name, you could give up to $11,000 each -- any more will trigger the gift tax -- to grandparents or other relatives outside your household, who could then help pay tuition bills; aid officers can't touch their assets. If your kid is a few years from college, be sure to contribute the maximum to 401(k)s or IRAs. Colleges won't expect you to tap retirement savings to pay your share of tuition.
6. "We'll judge you by your house . . . and your car."
Fortunately for homeowners, the value of your house doesn't get considered in most aid formulas. On the flip side, if you're paying a fat mortgage or sky-high property taxes to live in an elite suburb, colleges likely won't be too sympathetic. Here's why: To determine aid, colleges calculate your expected family contribution from your adjusted gross income and assets. They usually don't consider what your real disposable income is or how cash-strapped you might be after paying your stack of bills. "A moderately high-earning family spending most of its income on housing and other necessities may find that their expected family contribution is difficult or impossible to meet," says Roger Dooley, co-owner of Web site CollegeConfidential.com.
All is not lost, however. While most colleges do not automatically factor in regional cost-of-living discrepancies, some may if you ask. When writing or speaking to an aid officer during the application process, emphasize "involuntary" costs like taxes over voluntary ones like your mortgage, Dooley suggests. Your car is normally considered an involuntary expense, but elite schools sometimes ask what cars you own and when you bought them. If they're too new and too swank, they may be considered voluntary expenses.
7. "We'll let you borrow more than you can afford."
Vickie Hampton, an associate professor of financial planning at Texas Tech University, knows that being well educated can make you poor. A colleague of hers, she says, racked up more than $100,000 in debt while earning a Ph.D. in English. "There's very little probability of her paying that off in her lifetime!" Hampton says.
The predicament isn't unique, as more students take on excessive debt to finance degrees that lead to jobs in relatively low-paying fields. Unfortunately, college financial aid offices rarely discourage these decisions. While there are statutory limits on certain government loans -- based on lifetime borrowing caps -- there are fewer limits on loans from private lenders such as Sallie Mae, KeyBank or Citibank, three of the biggest players.
If your student must borrow, exhaust federal programs first. Perkins loans or subsidized Stafford loans -- both of which you may be offered after filing a Fafsa -- are best; their 5 and 5.3% rates, respectively, blow others out of the water, and interest doesn't accrue until the borrower leaves school. The Perkins, which you pay back directly to your school, is the slightly more flexible of the two, offering longer grace periods. Beware of unsubsidized Stafford loans, which your college may offer if your family doesn't qualify for subsidized loans. Although these loans have similar low rates, interest will accrue from the moment the loan is made, even though payments aren't yet required. While parents may also consider a federal Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students (PLUS) -- which currently carries a 6.1% rate and has a rate ceiling of 9% -- a home equity line may be a better bet, as it offers more generous tax benefits. Find more information on government loans at www.studentaid.ed.gov.
8. "Outside scholarships help us, not you."
Sure, you're proud of the five scholarships your high school senior won from community groups such as the Lions Club and a local church, but don't be relieved. Unless you weren't counting on any financial aid at all, those scholarships won't make a dent in how much you have to pay. "Many parents mistakenly think their cost will be diminished and then are disappointed to learn that it will actually be the grant [from the school] that is diminished, thus saving the college money and not the family," says Anne Macleod Weeks, director of college guidance at the Oldfields School in Glencoe, Md. Federal guidelines mandate that outside scholarship money be considered a resource in meeting financial need. This means you can't use the scholarship dollars toward your expected family contribution, and the college gets to reduce the amount of aid coming your way.
Even so, applying for outside awards can help you, especially if you're looking at an aid package that features more loans than grants. Ask your college if it can reduce the loans first, says Jim Eddy, aid director at Willamette University in Salem, Ore. "Secondly, it [can] reduce work-study." In that case, a few scholarships could still save thousands of dollars in interest and let your student study more and flip burgers less.
9. "We won't 'negotiate,' but we will 'review.'"
College financial aid guides have long urged parents to negotiate with aid offices, often suggesting you bring a better aid offer from a "competing" school to shame them into giving you more money. Tread lightly. Many aid directors hate this tactic. Some schools have strict no-negotiation policies, while others are only a little more approachable. "There's certainly no harm in asking a college to review an aid decision," says Loyola's Lindenmeyer. But "we do not negotiate, and we do not match other colleges."
So how do you request a "review"? When contacting your aid office to discuss your child's aid package, start by avoiding such words as "negotiate" or "bargain," says Virginia Tech's Simmons, and don't throw another school's aid award in an officer's face. Instead, thank the officer for his hard work and the school's generosity, then follow up by expressing doubt at being able to meet your family's contribution. If you haven't already done so in writing, explain any special circumstances you have, such as recent unemployment, a death in the family or medical bills. Then, directly but politely, ask if there's anything the aid office can do to help.
Once you've established a rapport with the officer, try casually mentioning that you have a competing offer and where else your student has been admitted. At the very least, aid officers may refer you to outside borrowing opportunities or payment plans. Whatever the response, don't push it. Remember, you'll be relying on this person's award decisions for the next three years.
10. "Thought freshman year was expensive?
Wait till senior year." Your kid just got her award letter and scored a fat four-year grant covering most of her tuition, with a small loan for the rest. You're set, right?
Not necessarily. Two problems get in the way. First, the amount of federally subsidized loans a student can borrow increases slightly each year; as a result, your college may expand the loans it offers in subsequent years and downsize grants. Second, many parents and students assume that four-year merit-based awards will keep pace with tuition hikes. "Very few schools are that generous," warns Willamette's Eddy. Nationwide, the average private school price tag jumped 6% from last year, with the average cost for resident students now just over $30,300. Assuming a steady 6% annual price increase and a constant $25,000 in aid each year, the $5,300 contribution you made toward your student's freshman year could grow to $11,088 by senior year.
If your child receives merit-based aid, ask whether the college can adjust it for tuition inflation. Regardless, make sure your scholar keeps hitting the books. A mediocre GPA can end a merit scholarship faster than roommates can devour a midnight pizza.
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