Why Acer is Making Losses and Fail to Deliver

Anyone considering buying Acer should read this post before they do.

Maybe just possibly, problems like the ones you read here made its founder Stan Shih to retire when he did...although outgoing ACER CEO J.T. Wang claims it's only due to the write-off of its old inventory "worth" billions!

Always the staunch supporter of Acer, I believed in its brand philosophy, promise and quality -- even after experiencing a motherboard failure with one of its "best in class" (at the time it was bought) Notebooks - the Aspire 4736G.

Just Google it and you'll know what I mean.

Here's my rather disappointing Acer Experience at the recent PC Fair at Mid Valley in early November this year:

The Wrong Decision: After being told by the Dell person at the Dell Booth that the particular Dell desktop model I was interested in was sold out (at that on my 2nd day visit to the PC Fair!) and out of stock - I took it as a clear signal that buying Acer would be a better choice. How wrong I was!

It was our 2nd day visit to the PC Fair. We had spent the day before, browsing and sifting thru the various offers available.

We settled on the Acer Aspire TC603 which according to the brochure handout, is a model with the 4th Generation Intel Core i5-4430 Processor. The package included an Acer V206HQL 19.5" LED-backlit Monitor, 3 Year Extended Warranty, Speakers and 16GB Pendrive.

According to the salesperson, we could take delivery "immediately" if we took the 3rd Generation version of the same model and upgrading it to the 8GB we wanted would only be a few hours OR we wait for a week for delivery for the brochure version.

We opted for the version stated in the brochure as we were willing to wait out the 1-week delivery time. Honestly we were pleasantly surprised when the salesperson said that they could send it to their outlet nearest to us in Desa Park City for collection.

No After Sales Information...

After anticipating delivery (with exception of the in-between Awal Muharram public holiday), I started to feel uneasy and referred to the official receipt - it had no contact number stated on it! I then googled Thunder Match Technology and completed an online query form on their website, and 72 hours later no response.

Reachable, NO!

By this time, I had already obtained the contact number for their Head Office and started my attempts to call them up. 

After spending the whole morning right up till slightly after 2pm, the best I could get out of the various options from the automated telephonist, was a foreigner who finally answered and asked me to call back again  - as he was only the security guard! 

Swell!

Varying Versions...

I called the next number I had -- which was their outlet in Mid Valley. When I informed the person who answered that, I would like to know the status of the delivery for the TC603, he replied that it was out of stock and a discontinued model - all the time stating that it was the 3rd Generation version. Okay so I'll check with Acer Malaysia!

Dissatisfied with the response, I called Acer Sales and Services (Acer Malaysia - AM is short) at their toll free number 1800-88-1288. After providing details of my complaint, I requested that they clarified the matter with Thunder Match Technology (their appointed dealer, TM in short) and revert to me.

While waiting for AM's call, TM's Mid Valley rep calls to say that the TC603 was not in stock and when asked when it would be in stock,... he replies that he was unsure and instead offered an exchange to another product or, a full refund in lieu. 

Good news? Fat Chance!

After telling him that I would consider, I hung up just in time to receive the AM rep's callback. She basically repeated the same information of the TC603 being out of stock and even went a step further by saying it was discontinued after having checked with TM.

I told her it was impossible and this is when the AM rep said it is discontinued as it is a 3rd Generation version as per the brochure she had in hand. Luckily for me (or maybe not) the brochure I have stated it otherwise. After further questioning she reveals that the version I wanted had yet to arrive from Acer Taiwan!!! 

I then thought, "Why not escalate my query to Acer's HQ, Acer Inc. in Taiwan?" and asked her to send me an email contact for the said purpose.

"Great I thought" as I checked my Inbox to see that she had indeed sent me an email. When I opened it, I was beyond shock (after having been overly drained by all the stress and time wasting activities from what was supposed to be a simple purchase of an Acer Desktop) - she had emailed me alternative models for selection while stating that the TC603 is "not available in the Malaysia market" and Acer Inc's telephone and fax!

What !?!

Does this mean the brochure printed in Malaysia (most likely) for the Malaysia market with the listed model TC603 with the 4th Generation Intel Core i5-4430 Processor and further confirmed by the salesperson accepting the order over a week ago is WRONG !?!

Always Forgiving...

Extremely disappointed I then did the unthinkable, I counter offered to take the alternative model which was priced lower while insisting that all other items remain as per the initial package.

As I end this post I wait and see how AM and TM responds tomorrow.

P/S Just to add, there was an instance when the TM rep said that the TC603 was 4th Generation but differed inside !!! Now that really makes me wonder...

Endnote:

 Questions seeking answers with some you already know the answers to,

- This only happens in Malaysia?

- When will Acer make itself customer friendly by providing top level e-mail contact info?

- Does having a strong visible market presence ensure "proper" after sales service/support?

- Is Explore Beyond Limits referring to exceeding the tolerance limit for bad after sales service/support?

Hot Hazy Summertime Blues in Malaysia

Wikipedia the free encyclopedia describes haze as a traditional atmospheric phenomenon where dust, smoke and other dry particles obscure the clarity of the sky.

Well in Malaysia it is very traditional alright, right down to consistently during summer (since 1982 too). Just as if the ozone layer is already not depleted enough and so burning hot! The way I see it, only idiots (because there are definitely more than a few of them) in Indonesia who make it a point year after year to do massive wide open burning.

While the Indonesian Government has only made disparaging retorts so far and in the past along the lines of - "the 'people' doing open burning is no other than those from Malaysia and Singapore", they seem to be nonetheless appreciative of these business mis-adventurers from overseas. Otherwise, why would they be knowledgeable of the nationalities of the perps and yet do nothing constructive and effective against them !?!

Hell they don't even get fined...even if they do - money can't buy back what is already lost, or maybe they are thinking that when the haze lifts and until the next time - it is sufficiently timely for those poor affected souls (such as Malaysians) to "heal" before the next attack!!!

No action doesn't mean that the problem will go away, yes it does but then again what about a year from now !?!

Every year we in Malaysia suffer the same problem with hazardous levels of haze, what are we? Some meek neighbor who only hold weekend parties and stay indoors (gap shut) while the next door neighbor does open burning!?! Oh good! Maybe the wind will blow the haze back in their faces and into their haze-resistant lungs... Hmph! Fat chance of that happening!

Schools closed, eye irritations, breathing difficulties -- WHY WHY WHY must we meekly endure this annual assault to our precious health?

Surely there must be some responsible and caring people in Indonesia who do not appreciate the lack of action and who are equally concerned about their own health and the environment that they live in, right?

There is hope still:

Walhi or Wahana Lingkungan Hidup Indonesia (Indonesian Forum for the Environment) noted that the root causes of the haze have remained the same, three decades after it became a trans-boundary problem. Quote Walhi's Southern Sumatra acting Executive Director Hadi Jadmiko, "Efforts to stop open burning should begin from the Indonesian Government". He goes on to say that the haze COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF the Government (of Indonesia) had been serious in tackling the issue by coming down hard on open burning over the years.

If not:

Let us pray that the good people in Walhi get elected to government roles of power and hopefully (and thankfully then) will we only have a hot BUT NOT hazy summertime in Malaysia...

Until that happens, I'll be indoors with the air-conditioners on and god forbid having to go outdoors mask on...

By the way, Malaysian Government is ramping up efforts WITHIN Malaysia by telling us to call 999 and report any open burning...

MAHAP

MALAYSIAN AGAINST HAZE & AIR POLLUTION

   

1 Malaysian's View after GE13

May 5th? Thank the stars it is finally over. Lucky for me the indelible ink wiped off easy too -- according to the SPR chap's media statement the proper process of shaking the ink bottle before application was not done. Whatever.

The political climate in Malaysia certainly makes me uncomfortable -- to either be listening, seeing or reading about gutter (the public thrashing and humiliation of others) politics. Make it a crime punishable to law and I say if there's any expo'se to be done, let the police and media do it after due investigative work!

Moving forward, I'm looking forward to:

A collective Government who will continue to stamp out factors detrimental to a modern civilized prosperous country such as extremism, racism, favoritism and corruption.

Educational programs reaching all levels of society to inform of the backwardness of judging others based on their language, behavior, customs and/or religion. 

A Government that is thrifty and looks after the welfare of all Malaysians irrespective of age, gender or political affiliations. Thrifty also means spending it's money within Malaysia instead of overseas for charity or on humanitarian grounds -- unless of course there is a surplus and it's own people already have enough welfare.

More police presence to deter crime. Though a one-liner but boy oh boy is it critical!

Weeding out all illegals and stopping the influx of immigrants or otherwise risk being overrun, an increasing crime rate plus health and employment concerns.

Country leaders and representatives who are respectful of their status in society and shy away from scandals and misdoings.

SO, please do the needful!

P/S Share This.

PPS I also hope ("hope" coz it's been so long and yet...) the Government doesn't forget the badly in need of tarring roads, traffic and flood systems too while at IT!

Building a Better World with Mozilla

Watch The Mozilla Story today to see how you can help build a better world through the efforts of Mozilla.

See how Mozilla protects privacy, user choice and freedom on the Web with the tools they create and the training they provide to help us in return make the Web a place we want. Don't just watch the video YouTube @ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kQ4DJgfPed4, do your part by making a donation today to this worthy cause.

Go to https://donate.mozilla.org/page/contribute/openwebfund and see how every dollar you donate can make a difference and support a Mozilla Project. Questions? Visit their FAQ site at http://www.mozilla.org/foundation/donate_faq.html or send an e-mail to donations@mozilla.org for more information.

The Web should be safe, open and accessible for all...

All contributions go to the Mozilla Foundation, a 501(c)(3) organization and is used in its dicretion for its charitable purposes. They are tax-deductible in the U.S. to the fullest extent permitted by U.S. law. This blogger is in no way affiliated to Mozilla but truly believes in the headway efforts of the creators of Firefox.

The New and Trendy MINI Watch 3D in Style

Timepieces, Watches and Jewelry...move over Gangnam Style!



Malaysia's latest fashion fun watches has got to be the from Korea, now introducing The MINI Watch from Korea.

The MINI Watch is fun & fashionable and extremely artistic. Each watch design features lovable themes that virtually pops out from a hand-crafted engraved dial. While others are calling The MINI Watch collection the loveliest and cutest of all worldwide, some watch enthusiasts are deeming it the new 3D Watch of the century, and I do agree so *after checking out TwinkleTimeKL*.



TwinkleTimeKL on Facebook is currently selling for a limited time at an introductory price, these simply-must-haves, for about Ringgit Malaysia Seventy Five (RM75/=) a piece; which is a good deal and I saved at least 40-50% compared elsewhere.

The MINI Watch could well become a collector's item easily as it's affordable and attractive. There are also many individualistic designs to choose from and to wear for different occasions *a fashion statement, dress watch or fun watch, you decide*.


Now that's The MINI Watch for you (and me)!

Find out more or how to get your MINI Watch in Malaysia at http://www.facebook.com/twinkletimekl

This blogger is normally quite reserved and against all form of promotion but TwinkleTimeKL deserves it.

What is 33388 SMS, Read the Fine Print or Be Charged

How to cancel 33388 free services?

If you have ever been charged for mobile messages, especially from 33388?

Give up?

Next time, read the fine print before accepting any so-called "free" offers. A friend of mine painfully learned his lesson by having all the prepaid credit in his Hotlink and Digi numbers drained out. Funny thing is, calling the mobile operator to cancel/block the "services" from 33388 does not work as no action is taken...

 Sample courtesy of 1Malaysia Voucher link:

This is a Djugo service. Djugo is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any of the listed products or retailers. Trademarks, service marks, logos, (including, without limitation, the individual names of products and retailers) are the property of their respective owners. |You will be charged for all questions received by you (save for marketing SMS) including the first question is chargeable at RM4.00. | By answering a question, you will trigger the next question also chargeable at RM4.00 per question received by you.| Answer as many questions as possible to accumulate highest score at campaign closing date to win the prize.| No additional chargeable question will be sent if you do not answer the previous question. | There is no maximum amount of questions to be answered |Additional data and SMS charges may apply | Age: 18+ only - ask bill payer's permission | Helpdesk: 03 – 2175 4700 (9.30am – 5.30pm (Mon – Fri) | By sending an SMS to 33388, you acknowledge that you have read and understood the ‘General Terms & Conditions’ and agreed to be bound by these 'General Terms & Conditions'. | Closing date of the campaign: Friday, 1 June, 2012, 11:59 pm +8GMT. | Service Provider: Ericsson (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd.

TO STOP, send a message in reply to 33388 with the text OUT. In return you should get a reply that says they acknowledge and will stop sending any messages.

Good Luck,  you'll need it.

Footnote: Gimmicks WILL come in all shapes and sizes SO if it's FREE (most probably and often not) -- consider all before you accept anything.

A tribute to a living legend, now gone - Steve Jobs

Wednesday, October 5 2011 marks the saddest day in the lives of many people. Steve Jobs the man who brought Apple to it's shiniest and brightest moments left the world at the age of 56. Details of his long battle with pancreatic cancer - a disease that ultimately claimed him remains unknown.

He was more than just the man behind the Mac and iPhone. Even in Malaysia now, one cannot help but hear the tributes on radio and coffee shop chit chats. Even Twitter at the time of this posting remains inaccessible, possible due to overwhelming tweet traffic.

He believed in himself. Despite having the odds against him, he believed in himself. He believed in his vision. He believed that he could change the way we communicate. He believed he could make a difference. And he did.

 This past week we said goodbye to Steve Jobs - the co-founder of Apple who revolutionized the way we communicate, work and play. But life was never easy for him and the only reason Jobs succeeded is because he believed in himself.

 He didn't let the naysayers stop him. He didn't let the doubters hold him back.

 He dropped out of school because he couldn't afford the tuition. He collected used soda cans and returned them to collect the deposit money. He walked 7 miles just so he could get a hot meal from a shelter. But all along he believed in himself and his vision. He never gave up. When he slept on a cold hard floor with only a blanket he didn't give up.

 Through all those years of struggle, Steve Jobs directed his mind, his subconscious mind and his powers to follow his vision. That vision and belief was planted on his subconscious mind, success was sure to follow. And did it ever.

When he passed away on Wednesday - Steve Jobs was a billionaire, surrounded by his family. He built one of the most valuable companies in the world and he made a big difference.

 Steve Jobs was born in San Francisco on February 24, 1955. He was adopted shortly after his birth and reared near Mountain View, California by a couple named Clara and Paul Jobs. His adoptive father was a machinist for a laser company and his mother worked as an accountant.

 He leaves behind three children from his marriage to Laurene Jobs (Reed, Erin, and Eve), as well as his first daughter, Lisa Brennan-Jobs.

 Rest in eternal peace Steve Jobs... there will be no other like you...

Google+ by Google, Inc.

Google+ is in limited Field Trial still since it's launch on June 28th, 2011... (I should know, I'm waiting patiently as you are)...

Seen now (no longer a rumor) as a great replacement to Facebook, Google+, a social network operated by Google, Inc., allows great integration across a number of Google products that include Buzz and Profiles.

One key element of Google+ is it's focus on targeted sharing within subsets of your social group, which Google calls Circles. Circles are simply smaller groups of people that you can share to, each with names like friends, family, classmates and co-workers.

In Google+, there's a section specifically for viewing, managing and editing multimedia. The photo tab takes a user to all of the photos he or she has shared, as well as the ones he or she is tagged in. It’s not just about photo tagging. An image editor (complete with Instagram-like photo effects), privacy options and sharing features is incorporated too.

And here's how I think Google+ beats Facebook -- the super cool “Hangouts,” Google’s new group chat feature. Un"like" Facebook (pardon the pun) where you normally would directly ask a friend to join a group chat, Google-plusers click “start a hangout” and they’re instantly in a video chatroom alone. At the same time, a message goes out to their social circles, letting them know that their friend is “hanging out.” Friends can then join the hangout as long as they have been placed in a circle that was invited by the person who created the Hangout.

At the moment, Google+ is testing with a small number of people, but it won't be long before the Google+ project is ready for everyone.

Interested? Leave your email address at the link above (title) so that you'll be the first to know when Google+ is ready for you.

Rupert Murdoch's Text Apology

Under a large headline "We are sorry," the piece will contain the following message, according to the text obtained by Reuters. It is signed at the bottom by Murdoch himself.

"The News of the World was in the business of holding others to account. It failed when it came to itself.

"We are sorry for the serious wrongdoing that occurred. We are deeply sorry for the hurt suffered by the individuals affected.

"We regret not acting faster to sort things out. I realize that simply apologizing is not enough.

"Our business was founded on the idea that a free and open press should be a positive force in society. We need to live up to this.

"In the coming days, as we take further concrete steps to resolve these issues and make amends for the damage they have caused, you will hear more from us.

"Sincerely, Rupert Murdoch"

My e-mail from News of the World

Dear .....

It is with great regret that we write to inform you that after 168 years we will publish the final edition of the News of the World this Sunday.

You will know that the paper has a proud history of fighting crime, exposing wrong-doing and regularly setting the news agenda for the nation.

However, in recent times the good things that the News of the World have done have been sullied by behaviour that was wrong and inexcusable.

As a result, the very difficult decision to close down the paper and notw.co.uk has been made.

Advertising space in this last edition of the paper will be donated to good causes and charities and all revenues will go to organisations that improve life in Britain and are devoted to treating others with dignity.

As a result of this decision, notw.co.uk will be open to the public for free for our final edition on Sunday 10th July. If you have already paid for access to the sites for this weekend and have outstanding credit on your account, we will contact you shortly and arrange a refund within the next 28 days.

If you have any other questions please email help@notw.co.uk

Thank you for reading the News of the World.

Yours sincerely,

The News of the World

Dearer Air Ticket Prices for Europe

Air travelers to Europe may soon pay more -- ticket prices for flights to and from Europe are likely to go up January 2012 when Europe's move to "cut" airline emissions is enforced. The EU has set a cap on carbon dioxide emissions, with airlines having to pay for emissions that exceed those limits (and the ultimate payee will of course be the passengers of these flights...). Other regions/countries are expected to follow suit in retaliation.

Just goes to prove how affordable travel is nowadays so much so that the EU decides to limit the number of flights in the name of Going Green, but then again when flight prices are driven higher with people still traveling -- are they trying to say that it's ok and alright to CONTRIBUTE to these emissions when payment is made?

Live Life Today

Stop blaming yourself for everything that went wrong; instead, start taking charge of your life and make some better decisions.

It's all about energy. Our life, our success, our happiness... everything is all about energy. We're all made of energy... tiny molecules vibrating at a certain frequency... this vibrating energy makes up our existence. Everything is made of energy... and it's that same energy that we constantly direct that attracts everything into our life. Now there are different kinds of energy... or different levels... and that's what makes everything so interesting.

Positive energy attracts positive situation.
Negative energy attracts negative situations.
Positive energy repels negative situations.
And negative energy repels positive situations.

If you're negative you'll attract more negative people, and more negative situations. You'll also push away positive people and positive situations.

If you're positive you'll attract positive people and positive situations. You'll also push away negative people and negative situations.

So if you're not getting what you want - then you're likely not sending out the right energy.

You see other people pick up on your energy vibrations on a subconscious level. They don't really know it - they just get a sense about you - a feeling or a vibe about you. They don't consciously say: "This is someone positive, lets get to know him or her."

It all happens on a subconscious level. But it starts in the conscious mind.

Your thoughts, and beliefs shape your energy level... they create that vibrating energy.

Your thoughts and beliefs are sent to your subconscious mind which radiates
your energy level (the very energy that others pick up on).

Positive thoughts and positive beliefs create positive energy.

Those with positive energy attract positive situations, good things happen to them, they meet terrific people and enjoy life. As they continue doing this they naturally become more optimistic. They take positive actions, and they continue to attract more and more positive situations, people and events into their lives.

If your filled with negative thoughts, self-doubt, worry, uncertainty, and if you
generally feel that things will never work out or get better then you're sending out
the energy that will only attract more of what you don't want... or more worry,
self-doubt, and uncertainty... all of which will only cause you to feel that
things will never work out.

It's a vicious cycle and if it isn't broken will only lead to more and more negative situations.

So how do you change your energy?

How do you create positive energy so that you enjoy positive situations? Think about what you want and then write down your immediate thoughts and beliefs. See if they're positive or negative. If there's any self doubt, or any negative thought - then you probably have a negative belief tied to the thought. Both need to be changed ASAP.

Then track your thoughts throughout the week. Are they generally negative or positive. Change as many negative thoughts as you can. You won't be able to change all of them, just change as many as you can.

You should also track what you say to people in every day conversations. You might be surprised at what you discover. If you find yourself saying negative things - change those words. This is part of the process.

To change your energy send a new message to your subconscious mind. Create positive thoughts and positive beliefs. Begin developing positive energy. Attract positive people and positive situations. Changing your energy can be done. It's a lot easier than you think. You have the power to shift your energy and attract the people, situations and circumstances that will catapult you to success.

The more positive and optimistic you are the sooner you'll create positive energy.

Believe in yourself.
Believe in your ability.
You can do anything you want.
Don't let negative thinking hold you back.
Don't let those negative thoughts destroy your success.

Change the negative beliefs and create more positive situations in life - stop blaming yourself for everything that went wrong; instead, start taking charge of your life and make some better decisions. Start Living Your Life Today!

Facebook Add or Act, Friend?

Ever wondered how easy it is to add someone who's a complete stranger as "Friend"? Well that prompted me to think and come out with this statement, "Act as Friend". Sure fits the bill rather than Add as Friend, right?

C'mon be truthful, just how many of our "friends" on our list do we really know on a deep level that can really be considered as a real friend? Remember the days back in school, classmates numbered around 40 at average. The max, kindergarden? 20.

Do the maths, then tell me whether its an Act or Add...

Boy' this has gotta' be the shortest blog in the world!

Cheers, love your life :)

A Touching Tale of Love

An incredible love story has come out of China recently and managed to touch the world.

It is a story of a man and an older woman who ran off to live and love each other in peace for over half a century.

The 70-year-old Chinese man who hand-carved over 6,000 stairs up a mountain for his 80-year-old wife has passed away in the cave which has been the couple's home for the last 50 years.

Over 50 years ago, Liu Guojiang a 19 year-old boy, fell in love with a 29 year-old widowed mother named Xu Chaoqin..

In a twist worthy of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet, friends and relatives criticized the relationship because of the age difference and the fact that Xu already had children.

At that time, it was unacceptable and immoral for a young man to love an older woman.. To avoid the market gossip and the scorn of their communities, the couple decided to elope and lived in a cave in Jiangjin County in Southern ChongQing Municipality.

In the beginning, life was harsh as they had nothing, no electricity or even food. They had to eat grass and roots they found in the mountain, and Liu made a kerosene lamp that they used to light up their lives.

Xu felt that she had tied Liu down and repeatedly asked him, 'Are you regretful? Liu always replied, 'As long as we are industrious, life will improve.'

In the second year of living in the mountain, Liu began and continued for over 50 years, to hand-carve the steps so that his wife could get down the mountain easily.

Half a century later in 2001, a group of adventurers were exploring the forest and were surprised to find the elderly couple and the over 6,000 hand-carved steps. Liu MingSheng, one of their seven children said, 'My parents loved each other so much, they have lived in seclusion for over 50 years and never been apart a single day. He hand carved more than 6,000 steps over the years for my mother's convenience, although she doesn't go down the mountain that much.'

The couple had lived in peace for over 50 years until last week. Liu, now 72 years, returned from his daily farm work and collapsed. Xu sat and prayed with her husband as he passed away in her arms. So in love with Xu, was Liu, that no one was able to release the grip he had on his wife's hand even after he had passed away.

'You promised me you'll take care of me, you'll always be with me until the day I died, now you left before me, how am I going to live without you?'

Xu spent days softly repeating this sentence and touching her husband's black coffin with tears rolling down her cheeks.

In 2006, their story became one of the top 10 love stories from China , collected by the Chinese Women Weekly. The local government has decided to preserve the love ladder and the place they lived as a museum, so this love story can live forever...

Anti Rape Condom

Courtesy of http://blog.mamashealth.com/2010/07/08/if-only-i-had-teeth-down-there/

Call it provocative, call it medieval, whatever you call it aside from self-defense classes, self-imposed curfews and bodyguards it has to be one of the most progressive devices created to help prevent the rape of women. Invented by South African doctor Dr. Sonnet Ehlers after treating a rape victim who said, “If only I had teeth down there,” the female condom dubbed “Rapex” is being readied for distribution after 20 years of research.

“According to Dr. Ehlers “As soon as the man puts his penis in the woman’s vagina the condom catches it. The “teeth” of the condom then penetrates his skin and causes severe pain. The man will have to go to a hospital to have the condom removed,” she said. It will also collect the rapist’s DNA.”

30,000 of these condoms are being distributed in South African in various cities where the World Cup games are being played. South Africa has one of highest incidences of rape in the world.

While some think it increases a woman’s feeling of vulnerability, one could argue that women walk in the world and shape their lives around knowing their vulnerabilities. Others argue that the device is medieval, “Yes, my device may be a medieval,” Dr. Ehlers says, “but it’s for a medieval deed that has been around for decades,” she said. “I believe something’s got to be done … and this will make some men rethink before they assault a woman.”

While I don’t believe one thing will prevent rape, I do believe in having an arsenal from which to choose. What do you think?

Who is Vera Baker?

She's the sexy former campaign worker of Mr. Barack Obama, the big man who is now the President of the world's most powerful nation. So what's the buzz on this sexy lady with Mr. Commander in Chief of the United States of America, well one thing's for sure it ain't that sweet.

Earlier reports has it going that the two of them have been going at it and was caught at a posh hotel. Mrs. President, Michelle Obama is said to have blown her top off with this alleged scandal between her man with the 35-year-old Vera.

She’s furious, humiliated and embarrassed. This fiasco is bound to put another huge strain on the Obamas’ marriage.

The Obama White House may crumble...

Avatar in China

BEIJING: What has Avatar the Movie have to do with China? Well, a city in central China has renamed a mountain after this US blockbuster movie which has since surpassed Titanic in terms of box office collections. The majestic peak in Hunan formerly known as the "Heaven and Earth Pillar" is now known as "Avatar Hallelujah Mountain" states the Zhangjiajie city government. Apparently this mountain was used as a backdrop in the movie from stills taken in 2008. What comes after Avatar the Movie, why Confucius the Movie of course!

World's Tallest Burj Khalifa

Rising 828 metres (2,717 feet) out of the desert sands, the Burj Khalifa is a wondrous glistening marvel concrete, glass and steel pinnacle.

Malaysia Politics is not a Tsunami

I just wonder what people nowadays are thinking. Everything just about it has do do with "tsunami". Do they really know what the word tsumani means?

A tsunami (pronounced /(t)suːˈnɑːmi/) is a series of waves created when a body of water, such as an ocean, is rapidly displaced. Earthquakes, mass movements above or below water, some volcanic eruptions and other underwater explosions, landslides, underwater earthquakes, large asteroid impacts and testing with nuclear weapons at sea all have the potential to generate a tsunami. The effects of a tsunami can be devastating due to the immense volumes of water and energy involved. Since meteorites are small, they will not generate a tsunami.

The latest I heard of this word being used in error was in a radio ad while on the way to work. It was one advertising some amazing self help economic guru who had published some 45 best sellers on the topic of economic know-how; most obviously some sort of get rich DIY text. In this ad the word tsunami was used to described the current world economic situation. Economy, now does that in anyway remotely tie in to a natural disaster? I would believe that the current world economy is no more than a man-made disaster and definitely not some natural disaster (aka act of God in insurance terms).

Another classic example is how the not so recent March 2008 Elections held in Malaysia where my fellow Malaysians experienced a "sea" of change of having the long entrenched political coalition of some major political parties visibly denied a 2/3 majority in the ruling government of Malaysia. This they the ignoramus also termed a tsunami, a political tsunami they so say and wrote. I'm really disappointed but amused at the same time. Therefore before the next time it is used to refer wrongly to a situation that is not a natural disaster where most probably life and property is lost, please rephrase it.

Central banks coordinate global cut in interest rates

In a move of unprecedented scope, the world's major central banks lowered their benchmark interest rates Wednesday, a coordinated effort to halt a collapse of share prices and a freeze in credit markets that threatens to set off the first global recession since the early 1970s. The action failed to calm gyrating markets, however, amid the growing realization that a serious and prolonged recession may be difficult to avoid. The Federal Reserve, the European Central Bank, the Bank of England and the central banks of Canada and Sweden all reduced primary lending rates by a half percentage point. Switzerland also cut its benchmark rate, while the Bank of Japan endorsed the moves without changing its rates. In another monetary first, the Chinese central bank joined the effort — without explicitly saying it was doing so — by reducing its key interest rate and lowering bank reserve requirements to free up cash for lending. The Fed's benchmark short-term rate now stands at 1.5 percent. The European Central Bank's is 3.75 percent.Taken together with other moves in the United States, Britain and Continental Europe in the last few days, the rate cuts look like part of a broader, global strategy that embraces aggressive use of monetary policy and taxpayer recapitalization of ailing banks, generating cautious optimism among crisis-weary analysts.