Almost a month to buy a notebook?

Recently placed an order for a Dell notebook. Ordered on 23 Dec, paid using credit card. Maybank only called to verify the purchase on 25 Dec.

Yesterday checked the order status, the order is only confirmed on 29 Dec! Today checked again, the notebook has been built, but estimated shipping date is 15 Jan 2010! That's almost a month from the point of placing the order!


I don't know about you, but for me, when I already decided to purchase something, I want to get the item as soon as possible. The fact that I decide to buy at that time, means I need it already. Reminds me why the old fashioned, non-virtual, face-to-face business dealing is always better.

Proton vs Suzuki

The story of my sister's Suzuki Swift.

She bought the Suzuki Swift as a replacement for her previous Gen2. Fed up with the small problems she had with it. That car had creaks and rattles at a few places. Something that I think is unavoidable in anything that moves over KL's roads. She had the driver's seat adjuster broken. I still wonder how that happened, but my sis had a reputation of breaking things. Then some other minor problems which I've forgotten the details.

But this morning, the Swift simply refused to start, again. Had a quick look and nothing that I can do about it. The battery was fine, it was cranking OK, just that the engine did not catch fire. Actually this is the second time it happened in about 3 years. The mileage on the car is just around 30,000km. Push start is not an option since it's an auto. I don't think using jumpers would help as well since there's nothing wrong with the battery.

But the Gen2 with all it's problem, never, I mean never once, did the car refused to start in the morning. It just reliably start with a crank or two.

I don't know about you, but for me, I would rather live with a car that rattles rather than having a 'solid' car, but I have to pray and hope that it starts when I crank the engine in the morning. Imagine if the engine refused to start in the midnight, some way from home. It would not be something nice to happen. Especially to a lady driver.

Since it is a Suzuki, I'm sure a lot of people would just say, something is wrong with the car only. Just send it back etc.. etc.. But if it's a Proton, suddenly everybody becomes an industry expert and say Proton QC is bad lah, engineering not good lah, old technology lah, etc... etc...

So please people, not just Protons break down. Other cars can too. Just that people tend to listen more stories of Protons breaking down simply due to the fact that there's a lot more Protons on the road. Widen your perspective before condemning the work of others.

Kids nowadays...

Today results for PMR is out. PMR is for 15 year olds. Of course I don't yet have a 12 year old child, nor a close relative this year. But this is what I overheard from my colleagues at the office.

One colleague her child got 8As in the PMR, the reward is going to London. Another colleague also chipped in and mentioned her daughter requested for trip to Disneyland if she got good results for UPSR, that's a 12 year old, my friend. Another then came and mentioned her child also got good results and the reward is iPod touch...

Kids nowadays are very 'carrot driven', overly pampered. Obviously they'll get a harsh wake-up when they eventually get to the real world when they grow up. No wonder even adults nowadays whine of not enough 'reward' for what they 'feel is a good job from their bosses. They're used to that.

Hopefully I can teach my future children well.

Looking forward to F1 2010 season!!!

In 2009, for some reason I lost interest in F1. Even though it was a year littered with many scandals and controversies, right from the start, double diffusers, McLaren's lie-gate, Renault's crash-gate, Massa's horrific accident, etc.. etc.. but I didn't find myself rushing back home to watch F1 race live on TV. Probably partly due to Ferrari was not doing particularly well last season.

But I'm already looking forward to next season's F1. For 3 reasons

1. Lotus F1 Team 1Malaysia
Naturally, a new team backed by Malaysian magnate, Tony Fernandes. I know some quarters are saying it's a waste of 'people' money, but I still think this is a good effort for Malaysia. Malaysians will get the chance to be an F1 driver and engineers can have a chance to get trained in the highly competitive F1 world.

It has also been said many times, the government has no investment in the team other than moral support. It's Mr. Fernandes' money and effort to have the team on the grid. And knowing F1, they're so particular about everything, especially related to funding, I doubt anybody can dodge the system. So way to go Lotus!

2. Petronas backing current championship winning team, Brawn GP
It was in the news yesterday, Petronas will become title sponsor for Mercedes GP, previously known as Brawn GP. The team will now be officially known as Mercedes GP Petronas Formula One Team. Petronas has been well-known in the motorsport arena and have previusly backed Team Sauber and later BMW. This will just lift their reputation even further. May even consider of personally switching to use Petronas if they manage to win the championship next season. Considering Brawn won the championship this season with limited time and budget, hopefully with such good backing they can repeat their success.

News: Formula 1.com news

3. Schumacher to return to F1!!
And the biggest news, the great Michael Schumacher is returning next season! He tried to this year, which at that time got me excited, but an injury stopped him. But now he's returning, and he's going to drive for the Mercedes team mentioned above!

News: The Star sports news

I'm way excited! Can't wait for March 2010

What's up with us?

Nowadays you can get sued by cancelling an engagement...

http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2009/12/11/nation/5283378&sec=nation

We're becoming more and more like in the US where you can get sued just by sneezing in the elevator. A blatant misuse of the legal system. I would say, the legal system has other more important issues to deal with rather than petty issues like this. During courtship time, everything is nice and happy, then when things turn ugly, go to court, for something as personal as a marriage *sigh*

Trip to Sydney - 19 Nov 09

My 4th day in Sydney. As the day before, went out running again late afternoon, on the same 10km route. This time with a camera. All pics in previous post and this post were actually taken on this date.

Weird looking cruise ferry, Starship Sydney docked at Kings Street wharf

My run took me underneath the Harbour Bridge

The water looks clean, but does not mean it's safe!

Right in front of Opera House. Tired already by now

Funny eh? Normally we're asked to keep away from the grass, but at Sydney's Royal Botanic Garden we're asked to walk on the grass

On the pedestrian bridge back to the hotel, overseeing the Darling Harbour. All spent and tired

Later that night, spent a bomb on souvenirs. *sigh*