Kenapa....? by Adam Ismadi

First the flood in New Orleans, then, crude oil price hike... Afterwards it seems that someone had opened the Pandora's Box!

The aftermaths :

1. Gov. slowly releasing the fuel subsidy from just over RM1 to now RM1.62 per liter! And now fuel price held till end of the year. Come 2006, it will rise and continue to rise! Such great news to begin the new year! Sigh...

2. Tenaga (TNB) our main electric source has pushed the gov. to increase the electricity rates! I think its just a matter of time before the gov. green light this!

3. Gov. said it acceptable for housing developer to increase their property prices due to the increase prices in fuel and cement!

4. Zeti (Central Bank governor) said that the central will hike up their interest rates! So watch out...

5. It seems that more and more motorcycles are on the road! Which brings me back to main question... Cycles?

A few month back i've contemplated on getting a motorcycle licence, all due to the hike on fuel price. I really felt the pinch on my wallet these days! I've had a driving licence since 18! And have been driving cars for more than 10 years. Never had the opportunity to drive a motorcycle not even riding on it as a passenger. Why? My mum made me promise to never-ever do it, riding/driving or have anything to do with motorcycles. I think she knows well enough of the dangers involved with motorcycles.

Then, I've asked a few of my colleagues on their thoughts on this. Me getting a motorcycle licence to save some money commuting to work. I got a majority NO votes. Some of their friends has perrished due to motorcycles accidents, most are new mototrcycle driver that has been driving car for years, just like me. Hence i banished the thought.

A friend of mine was involved in an accident yesterday, he was driving his scooter back from work. A car suddently just banged his scooter from behind and he fell and yet another good work pants gone... that is his 3rd this year! Luckily its only a pair of pants, hmm... that is just the thing with driving/riding on 2 wheels. Your life actually depends on other motorists (be it motorcycle/car/lorry/trailer/tractor drivers!)

Imagine, u might be riding your bike/scooter happily with the appropriate speed on your designated lane and all of a sudden a car driven by some guy who has his mind wondering on what to buy for his girlfriend's birthday tomorrow, unintentionally slammed your rear wheels. Will the jolt of the accident throw your body forward or across the road to on-coming traffic? Would a securely fasten safety helmet help? God knows... I am glad that my friend did walk out of the whole incident in one piece. To me asking someone to drive/ride their bike safely will just not suffice because most of the time, it is not their fault in the first place!

Seems that i've shared the same strong opinions on motorbikes with my mum. My advice for my buddy, is ditch the scooter. Drive your car instead, your life is more precious than the attempt to save a buck or two.

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 10:58 am | Permalink | Comments

It is normal for a girl to drive err.. say a VIOS filled to the teeth with stuffed animals. Bunch of large multi-coloured dice hanging about the rear wind shield and on the side windows too! Perhaps she just like the feel of being in ZOO! Bears, bunnies, mushimaro, hearts, of all shapes. But its a girls thing right? How would i to know eh?!

Now back to my question, Panthers, if its some black macho 'garang' looking thing than i think its OK-ish. But no.. its in PINK! yeah.. in hot Pink?! What on earth is going on here? I've seeing Kancil and Iswara with multiple Pink Panthers stuck on the windows? Again, if the cars are driven by some screeming, flailing old aged queen in some glittering sequined evening dress in the middle of the day sporting a huge bunch-up hair-do with chopstick stuck in it that probably took half his life-time to prepare then its OK! But instead normal looking guys, everyday joes are in the driver seat! Are they a member of some underground cult movement that i do not know of?!

I've noticed that the Pink Panthers do have an err.. interestingly long long tail? Do you suppose the drivers are in the above average group? This question has been bugging me for while now...

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 9:20 am | Permalink | Comments

I bought my apt when i was 28. No one ever gave me any advice when should be the right time to buy your first property. It seems that most of my family members and friends are more keen on buying cars. They always said that i should buy a bigger and more expensive car and only buy a property when i absolutely needed to have my own place ie. just before getting married.

I regret not buying a property much earlier in life. Instead i opt to buy a more expensive car. Such a stupid mistake! I've just lost a significant amount of my salary to something that is a liability! Such a burden! Plus it depreciates like nobody's business! Stupid, stupid, stupid...

Most of my chn frens have bought an apt or house ages ago. They rent them out, so it pays for itself and they still live with their parents! Clever fellas. Thats why most good properties, the bumi lots are the only ones left because the others have been snached by non-malays.

Rule of thumb, the price of property is getting higher by the year and our salary is incresing at a much slower rate. By the time i decide to buy a place, i might not be able to get loan for it since it might be way too expensive. Plus the goverment has green light the banks to hike up interest rate lately and also OK-ed developers to increase prices due to higher fuel + cement cost. Sigh... Luckily, i've bought my first apt, might just start to buy more after this!

Respect to u chinese guys out there. To ur sense of the economy... something that malays should be more aware of!

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 3:22 pm | Permalink | Comments

Me watched this movie twice last Saturday. At noon with my nephews and in the evening with some friends... To me, the Harry Potter movies just seemed too tame to my taste. It's meant to be viewed by mostly children or young teenagers.

This time around since the cast are getting older, more mature issues are thrown in. Still very little blood & gore. Sexual issues/jokes are quite obvious now. I think for me this movie is an OK movie. Worth watching it once.

Verdict = 6/10

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 10:37 am | Permalink | Comments

Yeah, today a series of unfortunate events happened. In the end i am feeling rather crappy now.

1. the company notebook suddenly refuse to boot up
2. some rumours of VSS in the company
3. HR is gonna cut back on expenses, hence cutting off some of the benefits i am getting now ( equal to paycut!)
4. my sister + hubby just came back from an all expense paid trip to Four Seasons Resort in Langkawi! on company expense!

solutions,

problem 1, easily fixed, i took an available PC and just installed it on my desk. still some of my files in the notebook need to be retrieved later.

problem 2 and 3, well... i, at the moment do not give a toss on what the company would do! i could not care less!

problem 4, sigh... some people just have all the luck! i need to plan a pseudo-luxury resort holiday to either Pangkor Laut or Tanjung Jara. Hate going to Langkawi again! i've been to Tanjung Jara resort in Terengganu, fabulous place. This time around might try out Pangkor Laut. Do i have enough money? NOPE... so heck, all i can do now is just dream about the trip...

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 12:44 pm | Permalink | Comments

This is quite the typical romantic comedy fair. Some tears, some laughs, some warm fuzzy feeling, some snog-perfect moments, but definitely no yawning. This is a perfect chic-flic! Great for first dates... because after watching the movie it will inevitably gives u the urge to kiss someone! This is also a feel-good movie, it makes your feel glad that u have someone, and if u are still single it will painfully reminds u the joy of having someone...

Reese Witherspoon, as usual looks perfect, yeah, spell that P-E-R-F-E-C-T,
- absolutely hot
- intelligent yet not intimidating (because some intellient girls can be a bit full of themselves)
- super duper sweet
- did i say she is HOT?! sizzling...

For the happily married/engaged/attached/dating do drop by the cinema with your love one. As for the guys/gals that do cheerish singlehood, avoid this like the plague... you have been warned! hehehe.....

Verdict = 7.5/10 for couples, 1/10 for singles!

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 10:44 am | Permalink | Comments

All the while i thought this would be an outright horror movie. Undoubtly it has its horror or rather suspense elements in it, but apparently it offers more than that... It begins convincingly as a horror movie. Towards the middle i suddently realised it appears to be more like an episode out of The Practice, with bunch of lawyers on a 'talk-fest'. The movie has some heavy religious elements in it, so be prepared. Prayers here and there, plus generous amount of myths and tales thrown-in for good measure.

I was hoping that it would be better than the Exorcist since the special effect technology has gone a long way since then. But its not a fair comparison between the two. I read somewhere mentioned this movie is like the 'Law and Order : The Special Exorcism Unit' hehehe.... which is i think a pretty accurate description of the movie.

If you are looking for a horror movie that makes you sleep with the lights turned on, you'll be disappointed. But if you wanted a horror movie thats a little more realistic and makes you think of the posibilities... this could just be the movie for you.

Verdict = 7/10

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 10:09 am | Permalink | Comments

It felt as if i got my City VTEC yesterday. Apparently it has been 2 months plus since 1 September 2005 and already clocked 10,000km. I have to send my baby for its 10k service in setapak soon, hmm... maybe this saturday perhaps.
Oh yeah, me gonna watch the Emily Rose movie tonight! Have to get ready for nightmares and sleepless nights...

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 3:32 pm | Permalink | Comments

Yesterday on my way to my good friend's house in Sentul, i came across the now completed Tamarind (Asam Jawa i think in malay) in Sentul East. When it was launched late 2003, i thought its a good apt to buy. The price is not too bad, in the low 200k, freehold i think. OK sized 1100++ sq ft. Typical layout, with no corridors & balcony so bigger living/dining/bedroom space.

On the flip side, i just hate the area. The tiny Jalan Sentul serving the apt is very often congested! The neighbourhood is definitely a place i'd avoid. There is an abandon condo just behind the Tamarind... that would provide a perfect view eh? NOT! Most owners hang out in Realestate.com.my Forum and they say that the swimming pool is leaking big time esp after heavy rain fall. Someone said the there is a mini waterfall in the parking lot! Scary lor...!

From the photo i took, could not help but to notice the Tamarind's light ash grey exterior paint resembles that of an old run down soviet republic's office block. So dull and boring! Though the whole grand 'sentul raya' vision of YTL does sound err.. grand, i doubt it will look half decent during my lifetime...

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 10:52 am | Permalink | Comments

Yesterday on my way back home from work, RED 104.9 played this song. it a special acoutic version of the old song. this reminds me of someone, that i've wronged some time ago. i was a mess 2 years ago, and thank you for the closure and finally accepting my apology...

(btw it that an acceptable use of the word 'wronged'? somehow its seems wierd in writing!)

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 9:58 am | Permalink | Comments

Brrr... I am now trying out blogspot's own commenting system and ditching the old Haloscan system. I think the new systems looks better and easier to use... any comments?

Yupe... it is 4am on a Saturday and believe it or not i am now in the office! Sigh... What a life! Did some changes on the Firewalls and have to wait till 6am plus to test the new settings after the Production Systems goes live after 6am. Hope everything goes well... *with fingers entwined*

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 4:32 am | Permalink | Comments

Did the test and found out that I am only 32% Metrosexual... I also thought myself as a guy of at the very least more than 50% Metrosexual! I now kinda agree with the results because I really don't mind going to Tesco in my old faded t-shirt + shorts with my RM2 flip-flops!

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 11:46 pm | Permalink | Comments

Yeah, this year I've actually managed to just stay at home and help mom entertain the throngs of relatives+guess visiting non-stop! I kinda like it because this way, I will be able to pretend being busy so I could just avoid those ackward insincere 'how are you' questions. hehehe...

All that aside, I would like to wish everyone a Happy, Cheerful, Festive Hari Raya Aidilfitri and Maaf Zahir & Batin.

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 10:17 pm | Permalink | Comments

At last the review, one of the most expensive buka puasa spread this year. Made headlines on some local newspaper. Al-Nafourah is an Arabic restaurant with strong Lebanese and Moroccan influence. The do not offer any buffet but instead they have 3 set menu for buka puasa, RM95++, RM110++ and RM125++ per person. We had the RM110++ menu. All the while I knew that Arabic food is nothing to shout about, most are rather tasteless, soggy, mushy, colourless, bland to the very extreme!

I am just intrigued on how can they charge RM110++ per person for an Arabic set course meal. Futhermore, I am not the one paying, hehehe.... so will give it a shot! The verdict,

1. The food
a. Oh boy plenty plenty of food! It was a 6 course meal and we only got through it in 3 complete hours!
b. Nothing to shout about of the food... nothing really special. No weird stuffs like lambs' head or the sorts. Hehe...
c. But every ingredient is cooked to perfection. The chicken wing is so succulent and tender! With just one shake the meat will fall of the bones without even breaking apart! And this is simply perfect perfect perfect....
d. The lamb is cut into bite sized chunks and is so very lean! No fat at all! Plus it is so tender would squish it by using only your tongue! Again perfect perfect perfectly cooked!
e. We started with various types of Arabic breads/pita and the likes.
f. Course after course until I could hardly breathe before getting to the main dish!
g. They offered Tamarind juice and Rose Syrup... nothing truely exotic there. Though I think the Tamarind juice is kinda unique...

2. The ambiance
a. Indeed the restaurant is truely special. Once I stepped inside, I could totally imagine myself being transported to somewhere in Morocco!
b. With the delicate colourful mosaic tiles on the walls, the stained glass on the windows and sliding doors.
c. Thick dark wood beams are placed onto the ceiling and everything else in made of the same dark wood truely giving the exotic myterious feeling.
d. I asked the waiter what Al-Nafourah mean and he said it mean spring-water or some form of water fountain.
e. A lead singer with a quartet of musicians played countless arabic songs throughout the dinner. Fabulous! Though it would be more exciting if they had a belly dance show afterwards. Hehehehe... but I guess that's just not classy enough for Le Meridien.
f. We had 2 dedicated waiters attending our table of 14 people. They were very attentive. Love it!


In the end, the whole experience is so refreshing until I felt as if I just had a quick/instant Arabian holiday escapade. The food is yeah typical arabic feast, no truely exotic ingredients, but it is simple and cooked to perfection! Plus I think the Arab do love the sheer quantity of the served food, it is a hell of a lot! Though the asking RM110++ is kinda too much for the food alone but if I factor in the Arabian holiday escapade feeling into the picture, I think it does seems quite resonable!

Verdict = 7/10

Posted by AdamIsmadi at 11:58 am | Permalink | Comments