nyanya’s Gazette

…well, at least I hope so.

On October 20th, The Star, a very good news and also an advancement for Malaysians. Since some advanced countries are so slow in embarking in new technologies, Malaysia takes charge on and show them. Malaysia, along with US, has been implementing chip-implanted passports. We have been using the passport readers machines at KLIA since, I think, 2000 (memory jog a bit slow). It is something that I am proud of each time I arrived at KLIA. While foreign passport holders (in US you would be called ‘Aliens’), queue in a serpent-like lane, Malaysians can just pass-by and use the many passport readers machine. Well, of course you might saw someone got stuck in the middle, or caught in the gate. No technology that does not have a ‘quack’ once in a while.

Anyway.. about the news titled: “Passport readers for foreign checkpoints”.
http://www.thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2007/10/20/nation/19225381&sec=nation

“PUTRAJAYA: The Government will provide passport readers to other countries to help them speedily verify the authenticity of the Malaysian passports. This applies only to places where Malaysians do not need travel visas. Home Affairs Ministry secretary-general Tan Sri Aseh Che Mat said the reader was made available to immigration authorities in Japan and the system would soon be installed at the Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam.We are looking at installing the passport reader in the airports of London, Paris and Frankfurt.”

Easy to use: Faridah Mon showing Demminks how the passport reader works during the handing-over ceremony in Putrajaya yesterday as Embrechts and Aseh look on.

Oh oh… il y a Paris là!! But once it is installed, I hope that Malaysian can be “validated” faster at the custom coutners! But I don’t think it will be faster that EU passport holders because basically the EU custom hardly check on EU passports holders. They would just flip through… passport from EU - OK go ahead. No stamping, no looking at your photo and your face. I believe even though Malaysian passports are scanned with the readers and proven its authencity, foreign customs will still be sceptic and go through the same process of verifying our faces vs. photos, where we have been before, questions on our purposes being there and stamping our passports. At least, I think, it is an advancement for Malaysia and Malaysians at the eyes of other countries. But then, who would care about this other than Malaysians, eh? Malaysia Boleh!

What happened if I wasn’t in front of my work pc/email for 1 day?

Chaotic!!!!!

I can see that the more they didn’t see any reply from me, the more they are creating the havoc. It is amusing and funny sometimes. But oh well… they do what they want. Ils font ce qu’ils veulent. But one thing I just hope that they would be calmer when face with certain issues. And not “melatah”, as in jump up to the ceiling when poked. *sigh* Sometimes they search for the issue to arise, I think. Law of attractions on the move here, people.

I think I should take day off more often. In France, there is RTT in which a day off per month. So it is an addition to your annual leave. I am the only person in my company I think which keep on losing this RTT, because I didn’t take the day off and it cannot be brought forward to next year.

How about for the next yr resolution, one of my resolution is to take my RTT and never lose it! Hmmm.. not a bad idea eh?

OK need to checkout something (yeah work related). What can I say, I itched if I have unfinished work. *sigh*

My brain was about to burst I think. I got this huge lump on my left side of the head, and it hurts like hell, even when I lie down on left side on the softest pillow you can find in the world (hihihi). It also affects my left side of the neck. My brain just need more space, I spose. My small skull just could not take it anymore.

hihihihi…..

No fret.. it is the usual occasional pimple on the scalp. Which I think you get it once in a while. But this shit is really big this time! Oh well, I guess this is one of the whining post.

Tomorrow I will have the first train the testers session. It is one of my “project” to sell off job in my company. So if you need to get rid of jobs that you don’t like to do or to get rid of someone at your office by selling his/her job, then call me at 555-SELL-JOB. Har har har.  Tired of whining and needy employees?? Well, sell off their job and you won’t have to deal with them anymore. Har har harrrrr…

After I managed to outsource my company’s customer support service, I’m back with more to sell, baby!! This time, I am selling the software testing job. We want cheap labour, we want easy-no-attachment labour. Har har har.

I’m waiting for someone to start on robot replacing human trend. Then, I could sell the job not even to humans! but to machines! Hurray! I might as well ask a robot to type a post on my blog every day!!! Yay!!

oh oh, my pimple starts to hurt. I think it connects somehow to my brain. Kinda forgot what I typed just now. Oh need painkiller….adeh adeh….

Last Saturday, I had an invitation for Makan makan Hari Raya at Hana’s student appartment at Vandoeuvre. Her appartment is right next to the place where I took my driving theory exam! Amazing how things are related in the Universe eh…

Anyway… I met up with Tuti and Wahida at the tram stop and we walked up to Hana’s appartment. The rest of the crew already there. There are lotsa different kind of food. I brought a big box of Ferrero Rocher and my infamous banana loaf. It was a short notice, and the only thing that I can cook/bake is the banana loaf. Plus I know that it will turn out good. For those you haven’t taste it, too bad for you heheheh..

I didn’t snap lotsa photos, coz was too caught up with eating and chatting and eating s’more.

I’m thinking to make an open house but hafta think of clearing out my living room. Perhaps I will get strength to do so soon. Anyway, in Malaysia, we celebrate Hari Raya for 1 month hehehe… We’ll see. Selamat Hari Raya!

Recently, among the search of people who killed a little girl, Tun M recovering in IJN and progress made by Hui Yi, the girl who had double heart transplant in IJN… we have another news which will be the talk of the nation at least until next year. (Exagerating la plak kekeke)

It’s the news about Malaysian’s first astronaut, Dr Sheikh. Here on photo:

On Wednesday morning at the office, I received SMS from my Mom, saying that Malaysian astronaut has blasts off to the space.  So I went to The Star and saw the news. Since then, everyday there is a news about him, astronaut, anything to do with space, astronomy and the other people who didn’t make it to be in his place. 

“Dr Sheikh Muszaphar, American Commander Peggy Whitson and Russian Yuri Malechencko blasted off from the Baikonur Cosmodrome at 9.22pm (Malaysian time) on Oct 10″. The Star 

I think he is a doctor or surgeon and currently doing his Master in Surgery in UKM. After passing all the tests, he is the chosen one. Well, he passed the test. I don’t know the detail about what you had to go through to be at his place, but it was the talk of the nation already.  It’s not only he is the first Malaysian to become astronaut, he blasted off to space just before Hari Raya (so dramatic like dat). Of course, one of the thing that any Malaysians would like to bring when they are far far away from the homeland, is the food. I remember there is a nationwide poll on which food that Dr. Sheikh should bring with him on the space. That includes, roti canai and teh tarik (Wadehel!!)

Anyway, as stated in The Star:

“The Malaysian, however, will not be missing out on delicious Hari Raya food in space. He has brought along nine Malaysian delicacies. 

Although they are not home-cooked, they are specially prepared for space. The treats he will get to enjoy are kuih bangkit, granola bars, rendang daging, nasi himpit briyani, gegulung pisang, dried mango slices, ginger jelly, chicken satay and tempe chips. “

Hmm.. tempe chips.. he must be Johorean or Jawa descendant (ahaks!). What is gegulung pisang? And ginger jelly on space? well , hello space fart! (kekekeke I’m so bad).

“Dr Sheikh Muszaphar will share the food with his crewmembers. The items were prepared under the Mardi food-in-space programme to test the agency’s capability to package and develop food items for space.” The Star

Mardi should try to sell some foods in Europe first, rather than in space. We want tempe chips!! kekekeke

“While Whitson and Malenchencko navigate the spacecraft, Dr Sheikh Muszaphar will assist them with the flight instruments. 

As soon as it gets close enough to the ISS, the capsule will manoeuvre to dock. It is expected to take a few orbits for the capsule to make a perfect match and “mate” with the ISS.  

Docking is expected to occur at between 10pm and 2am (Malaysian time) Friday. ” The Star

At this moment, it is 1:30 am (Malaysian time) Saturday… that means he should be docking by now, right?

Enough about him…

So what does this bring to Malaysia and Malaysians? I don’t think that other countries are aware about this. Local news maaa… But if there is a good impact in Malaysia, then that’s good. But I think it shows that Malaysia is not one of poor sappy asian country. It shows we have the money and the ability to do great stuff. Well, compared to the neigbouring countries at least.

As for Malaysians… where do I begin?? For start, you can see parents will be so eager to encourage their boys to like astronomy, space, and become an astronaut. I’m sure that astronomy books, or anything about space, spaceship will sell like hotcakes. TV interviews with little boys asking, what do what to be when you grow up? and the boy answered of course I want to be an astronaut (hihihi me and my scepticsm). Anyway, as like the wave of I.T, biotechnology, the next demanding course in the universities would be anything to do with space — be it Astrology, Aerospace, or perhaps Food-in-Space Tech course (sponsored by mardi? har har har). Try to look at the most google word by Malaysians these days and I bet the word, space, astro, astronaut, milky way, planets, yuri (??) will come up. ihhihi

OK, enough of that. I am still proud of the achievement. Malaysia Boleh!!

Hari Raya is not far away.. less than 4 days I must say! My mailbox started to be filled in with wishes… So I suppose it is the right time to post a Hari Raya wishes here.

To all my muslim readers (like I have so many readers hihihi)…  Happy Eid Fitr, Selamat Hari Raya! May the day (and month of Syawal) brings you and your family lots of happiness.

Usually on this occasion I would make my (our) own wishing card. But I completely forgot to make it this year! Time flies so fast that Ramadhan almost ends! I managed to find some cards which I bought last year when I was in Malaysia. But I still like to make my own card.  Anyways.. here is a quick “card” which I managed to create in such short notice.

They talked about this to me since May, when we started the support outsourcing project. And after almost 6 months, finally I’ve seen it black and white. But still, it’s not official yet. So far I have been working on pro-bono. Well, not for the public good per se, but for the good of the company.

Finally last month, the HR gave me an amendment to my job contract. It involves change of job description, hence change of job title and of course change of salary. I didn’t make it as “cadre” (executive) though. The HR guy explained that having me as a cadre would add more cost to the company (they have to pay the government more for the social security and retirement plan), and that for me, there is no advantage since I don’t have kids, having better social security is meaning less. Oh well.. I don’t care that much anyway. The way french people define Executive is really wierd. It’s all about law. Whereas in Malaysia, Executive status is all about university degree.

Anyway… the HR presented me with my new job and salary in the last week of September. The job title is OK, same goes to the job description (half of the things are the tasks which I have been doing since May, and more tasks to handle - that is normal since I have been taking tasks of different people a lot lately). However, I had a tiny problem with the number indicated under new salary. I had sleepless night thinking if I should accept it or negotiate. For me, it’s not enough. Looking at the amount of work I’ve done and the tasks that I will do in the future… I should get more than that. Anyway, being lazy ass I am.. I signed the paper. Then, it still bugged me.

I remembered something – it doesn’t hurt to ask. The HR person was so busy that day. By the end of the day, I managed to sit down with him. I told him that I don’t care if I am not “cadre”. But I am concern with the number on the paper. I told him…”C’est pas beaucoup” (har har har.. which means “It’s not that much”).  So I gave him back the paper, and he said he will think about another number. Now, I am waiting for him to come back to me with a new number and I hope it’s better be worth it.

On the other hand, last week, HR made an announcement that 3 of my colleagues got promoted. Had I accepted the contract, that would make 4 of us. But then, it’s better safe than sorry. I am eager to have my name announced next month! And it’s my birthday month.. early birthday gift perhaps? hmmmm…

But… can you beat these zombie?? Har har har…. more like da da da daaa…

Jom jom! Let's dance!Darling darling pllleaaasseee….

Lucky StarDescription:
Portrays the lives of several school girls attending a Japanese high school with a very loose humor tone. The main heroine is Konata Izumi, an athletic and intelligent girl who, despite these attributes, is not in a sports club, and her grades remain low. Her laziness at school is due to her love for anime and video games, and is not interested in much else. The serialization began with the four main characters in their first year of high school: Konata Izumi, Kagami Hiiragi, Tsukasa Hiiragi, and Miyuki Takara. As the story progresses, they move onto their second and third year.I'm totally hooked with this anime and also with the song!