Bomoh - A New Career Alternative ?

With the advent of the Internet technology, education, formerly confined only to the classroom finds its way online. Internet based courses offers a more convenient and cheaper alternative to traditional methods of education.

Demand for online education has seen a huge increase over the years in line with internet accessibility and affordable computer technology. People all over the world are pursuing many different kinds of courses online. There has never been a time in history where one can study practically anything from the comfort of one's home.

Apart from the normal technical and academic courses like information technology, cooking, graphic design, sociology, philosophy and law, there are also online courses for those interested in fortune telling, feng shui, astrology and similar genres.

How about studying to become a Bomoh ? If Malaysians were willing to pay thousands of Ringgit for the past few years to learn feng shui, I wont be surprised if Malaysians enroll in Bomoh courses as well. Further, in the current economic downturn, the demand for Bomohs and other spiritualists will be highly sought after, thus, you can be your own boss by starting your very own Bomoh business.

The other benefits of being a Bomoh is that, if you're still employed, you can jampi (cast a spell) on your boss to give you a raise. For those retranced, you know what to do to your ex boss, right ? And those in love can jampi your loved one to ...[fill in the blanks]. Now you see the major benefits of becoming a Bomoh.

Thanks to the Internet, those interested can now study this online. According to a report by a local tabloid, there is a local website offering "kursus Bomoh" (Bomoh study course) via distance learning online. Through the website, aspiring Bomohs can now study the mystic arts at only RM30 per module.

It is believed that certificates will be issued to successful graduates presumably so they can further their studies at similar institutions of higher learning whether locally or abroad.

Rumours has it that the website in negotiating a "twinning program" arrangement with the prestigious Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,

For the uninitiated, Hogwarts is one of the top school of magick in the UK. It has produced some of the most distinguished wizards in the world, including its most famous graduate, Harry Potter.

The website also offers 10 full scholarships to Malaysians (of any race). So Malaysians, don't miss out on this magical opportunity, apply today.

Please post your comments.

Money & Life

Money&life
What Is Money

For some, these videos and articles may change how you view life, the way you assess yourself and evaluate others.

Money is not real. It only exist in a system artificially created by human beings and has been manipulated by the elites to exploit others.

Watch this animated video explaining the origins of money.



This is an interesting 47 minute video by Paul Grignon which explains how money is artificially created.




The Credit Crisis And World Recession

This is is also an interesting 2 part video explaining how the credit crisis started and how it affects us.

Part 1




Part 2




As seen in the video, this is a primer of the financial crisis by the New York Times.

If you're interested to learn more, you can read the following articles:

Credit Crisis Timeline - From Foreclosures To Bank Failures

Credit Crisis — The Essentials


It looks like the best solution now is to begin looking for alternative ways of living less dependent on the money system. ie. grow your food and spend less on non essential stuff. :) We are lucky, in Malaysia, we have the option of living off the land if necessary. Singaporeans, for instance, do not have this privilege.

Please post your comments.

Slumdog Millionaire Wins 8 Oscars

Slumdog Millionaire wins Best Picture in the 81st Academy Awards including 7 other Oscars.

I think the film was good but not 8 Oscars, good.

But Slumdog Millionaire is a story of fate and destiny after all. So maybe it is also its destiny to win 8 Oscars.

Please post your comments

How The Government Determines The Price Of Petrol

Source: NST

Ever wondered why the price of petrol or so high (or so low) in Malaysia ? The domestic trade division senior director at the Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Ministry explains how the government determines the price of petrol:

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While not exactly rocket science, it is nevertheless a complicated computation, taking into account a range of factors and considerations, which is used to decide how much it costs to fill up your tank.

Since 1983, the retail price of petrol and diesel is set using the Automatic Pricing Mechanism (APM).

Through it, the government sets the retail price for petrol and diesel at a level where fluctuations in the cost of the product will not affect the retail price.

The APM ensures the difference between the retail price and the actual price will be borne by subsidies and sales tax exemptions.
It also standardises the price of fuel at pump stations, fixes the margins of oil companies and dealers, ensures distribution channels are secure and minimises disruptions of petrol and diesel supply.

Components that make up the APM mechanism include:

i Cost of product

Like most countries in the region, Malaysia uses the daily average price of "Mean of Platts Singapore (Mops)" to determine the product cost for petrol (RON97, RON92) and diesel.

(Platts is the daily market prices for petroleum products published by McGraw Hill Companies Ltd in Singapore).

ii. Alpha

The difference between the Platts published price with the actual purchasing price by the oil companies is called Alpha.

It is set by the government at five sen per litre for petrol and four sen per litre for diesel.

If the buying price of oil companies is higher than the Platts price which is more than Alpha, the oil company will bear the extra cost and vice versa.

iii. Operational cost

Operational cost comprises handling charges which include transportation and marketing costs.

The rate is currently 9.54 sen per litre for Peninsular Malaysia, and 8.98 sen and 8.13 sen per litre in Sabah and Sarawak respectively.


iv. Oil companies' margin

Margin or profit of oil companies is fixed at five sen per litre for petrol and 2.25 sen for diesel.

v. Station dealers' margin

Margin or profit of dealers is fixed at 12.19 sen per litre for petrol and seven sen per litre for diesel.


vi. Sales tax

The government may collect maximum sales tax of 58.62 sen per litre for petrol and 19.64 sen for diesel according to the Sales Tax Act 1972.

This component is used fully to adjust the final retail price before the subsidy element is considered.

vii. Subsidies

Subsidies are given when the actual price of petrol and diesel are higher than the fixed retail price, after taking into account full sales tax exemption of 58.62 sen per litre for petrol and 19.64 sen for diesel.


# Issues and challenges

The ongoing financial meltdown has affected oil fundamentals, as well as the pricing of global crude oil which has been drastically reduced from US$147 (RM529) per barrel in July 2008 to US$40.36 on Jan 11, 2009.

The persistent volatility has witnessed price swings on an unprecedented scale.

Even though the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries took steps to increase the price of crude oil by reducing output, it failed to stop the slide in the price of crude oil in the world market.

Consequently, our government reduced the retail price of both petrol and diesel seven times between Aug 23 and Dec 16, 2008 from RM2.70 per litre to RM1.80 per litre for petrol and from RM2.58 per litre to RM1.70 per litre for diesel.

However, the price of crude oil will not remain low and there is a possibility that it will be on an upward trend once the world economy bounces back.

In view of this, the government improved upon the current retail price setting mechanism in order to ensure the setting of optimal retail prices of petrol and diesel to benefit all concerned.

It cannot be denied that petroleum products still need to be subsidised to ease the burden of the people when there is an increase in the world price of crude oil.

Nevertheless, subsidies are a one-off expenditure that do not provide any returns in income for the government.

An unrealistic subsidy bill that exceeds developmental expenditure is unreasonable and will jeopardise the nation's development. In fact, from 2005 to 2008, the government spent RM40.5 billion to subsidise petroleum products.

Starting from June 5, 2008, due to the high subsidy for petroleum products following the continuous increase in the global crude oil price, the government restructured the subsidy system by increasing the petrol retail price from RM1.92 per litre to RM2.70 per litre, and RM2.58 per litre from RM1.58 per litre for diesel.

This led to an outcry from the public although a cash rebate of RM625 per year for owners of vehicles under 2,000cc and RM150 per year for owners of motorcycles under 250cc was included in the subsidy restructuring package.

The situation was made worse with the drastic increase in inflation rates from 3.8 per cent in May 2008 to 7.7 per cent in June 2008. The surge in inflation rates reflected the higher prices of essential goods that affected the disposable income of the people.

# Current automatic pricing mechanism (APM) to adjust the retail price of petrol and diesel in tandem with changes in product costs.

The improved APM used to fix the retail price of both petrol and diesel is done to reflect realistic market cost changes.

This feature is introduced to ensure stability and ease excessive government subsidies for petrol and diesel. The underlying principles in the improved APM are to set petrol and diesel retail prices that:

1. Reflect changes in cost of petrol and diesel

2. Emphasise price stability

3. Progressively ease the government's burden in providing subsidies of RM0.30 sen per litre.


# Paving the way forward


Generally, the government's stabilisation measures are designed to address short term developments in the market.

However, in the current volatile market, the government must focus on a sustainable long-term measure.

Therefore, the improved price setting mechanism will bring about stability in retail prices in the market and at the same time allow traders, industry players and consumers to manage their expenditure in a more orderly manner.

This method will allow the government to collect taxes when the product cost is low and exempt taxes as well as grant subsidies when the product cost increases.

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Please post your comments.

Women Sells Her Virginity For Millions

If you are a female virgin, you can become a millionaire.

22-year-old Natalie Dylan became a multimillionaire by selling her virginity for US$3.7 million (over RM1o million) last month, on ebay.

Natalie put up her virginity for sale on ebay initially hoping to get US$1 million, to "pay for her education" and "to meet a nice guy, too" she said.

Bidding exceeded her expectations and was closed at US$3.7 million, brokered by a Nevada brothel.

So tell me guys, how much will you pay for a virgin ?

Please post your comments.

Women Wanting Short Term Boyfriends

Front of business card

Back of business card

While women nationwide contemplate excitedly about what they're gonna do (or not do) on Valentine's Day, men like Ding Dong John (business card above) is busy taking advantage of the growing demand in Malaysian cities, like Kuala Lumpur, for male social escorts.

The business card says it all, "Spinsters satisfied. Virgins treated gently". Ding Dong John knows his market, he also expressly states that neglected wives will be given extra attention and his specialty are widows.

He also knows Malaysian women can be quite price sensitive sometimes, and are prone to bargain and demand discounts when the bill comes. To avoid this, he has listed the optional extras and the charges at the back of his business card (just like at the Mamak restaurants - Nasi Lemak biasa RM3.00, Nasi Lemak dengan ayam goreng RM5.50, Nasi Lemak dengan ayam goreng dan kari kambing RM8.00 ... etc).

The more you want, the more you pay. Sometimes, when you don't ask for the price beforehand, the total sum can be quite frightening. When you ask for the bill, "boss, kira !", don't complain saying, "I just ate Nasi Lemak ayam goreng (kecil punya) and a little bit of kari kambing...the fella also charged me RM8.00, not fair !".

Yes, apparently Malaysian women these days do pay for male social escorts but one wouldn't imagine that this practice will reach our shores this soon. But necessity has always been the mother of invention. In the Klang Valley, where there are 2 females for every male, being selective isn't a privedge for the average female. The more affluent but busy females have taken a more proactive attitude towards love and romance - cash & carry; just like buying something from Ikea.

This is nothing new, as in holiday destinations like Bali, it is not uncommon for single women of all nationalities to exercise their "women's rights" with their wallets - they willingly take on the local beach boys as short term lovers.

Next time, I'll tell you more about Ding Dong John but meanwhile, please post your comments.

Desperate Malaysian Women

A girl asked this question in an online forum:

"Where can i get a boyfriend, fast ???!!!"

And these are some of the answers and suggestions by readers:

1. start the hoe show. that's how u get a guy FAST. a boyfriend shouldn't come FAST

2. Try the local pub after last call....they are so desperate

3. Unless you weigh 240lbs and have a face like a hog! Then anywhere hon! Have a great day!

4. Do u go to a school or something like that with boys there? When you are at this place try talking to some guys. play up ur cuteness and all that, flirt, and if he doesnt step up then YOU ask him out. Look pretty and good luck!

5. Miliatry bases and prisons are usually full of single men. Does that help?
And the www.getaboyfriend.com site is a domain name for sale. Wanna buy it ?

6. Be daring. Get a male escort.

7. Take it easy. With such haste you are apt to end up in a bad relationship. Why are you in such a hurry anyway ? Peer pressure ?

8. you dont need to FIND a boyfriend, your true love will find you when the time is right.

9. Honestly, that's the most superficial question I've ever read. You can find a boyfriend anywhere. If you want junk, go to bars. If you want someone respectable, go to good places and be friendly!

Don't be in such a hurry to find a boyfriend. Get your life in order and get on a path that leads you to the life you want. Get into your life's groove and find your path. Make a plan for what you want to accomplish.

In the meantime, if you find a man that fits with your goals, give him the opportunity to show that he supports you. Don't sell yourself short. Do what you want to do, and worry about the man later.

Good luck, sweetie.

10. Church. Are you a young adult? Church youth group.

Grocery store. You'll have to flirt.

Ask your friends and family. I met my husband on a blind date that was set up by my brother-in-law! You might be surprised who they've been wanting to set you up with.

But take your time. Patience will get you many good things.

11. if u want to find a boyfriend fast try talkin and become friends make sure u have a reason to like him not cause u needed a boyfriend but usually if a girl has a guy friend they end up goin out i had a girl that was a friend and she asked me out. i had 3 girls that i knew of that liked me all at once b4 and they were all my friends.

12. www.myspace.com

13. stepping outside and yelling "I need a boyfriend" should do it.

14. Do you not have any friends who can pretend to be one ?

15. School or the mall

16. ebay!

17. why need a boyfriend when its so happy when you are single and can have dates as in dating different guys without any commitments....how old are you? just asking:)

18. i have 2 here...come on over

19. dont be so attached. be more independent. you dont need a boyfriend. try bars.

20. go outside, seek a boy, ask him if he could be your friend.

21. craigslist

22. friendster

23. facebook

24. anti-ISA vigils - bring your own candles !

25. dating sites - match.com, plentyoffish.com

26. ahmoi.com

27. gaming sites - casino, poker online games

28. hanging out in One Utama or Mid Valley

29. the cinema

30. the mamak in Hartamas or Bangsar

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Ok, folks...please post your comments giving new suggestions or telling us which of the above answer(s) you agree with. Thanks.

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What Motivates Us Most

This Yale University lecture speaks about sex and gender differences. Learn how psychology may explain whom we find attractive, what we desire in a mate, and sexual orientation.



Please post your comments.

More Malaysians Seek Additional Sources Of Income

Source: The Star

By LAALITHA HUNT

PETALING JAYA: Tay, 46, a sales manager at a local manufacturing company, has been forced to take unpaid leave for a week this month.

“My salary has been reduced by about 25% as a result of the unpaid leave and benefits such as handphone, petrol and entertainment allowances have been cut by half,” he told StarBiz.

Nirmala Paramaswaran

Tay, who declined to give his full name, said that with demand not showing any signs of recovery in the near term, he was prepared to accept further pay cuts.

“My wife recently took a course and just started a part-time business offering nail art and treatment services from home. This additional income proves useful at times like these,” he added.

Like Tay’s wife, more Malaysians are seeking additional sources of income to cope with the current economic slowdown and higher cost of living.

Nirmala Paramaswaran, 27, a team leader at an IT outsourcing company in Cyberjaya, is selling food items such as nasi lemak and sandwiches.

“Demand from my colleagues has been great and the extra income is handy as daily necessities have become more expensive,” she told StarBiz.

Nirmala, who enjoys cooking, said the venture had also been a good learning experience as she was able to improve her culinary skills based on her customers’ feedback.

Many people are also drawn to seek a second income to sustain a comfortable standard of living.

Samantha Chin, 28, a technical support executive at an insurance company who aspires to buy an apartment for her family, earns up to RM1,000 a month providing Web page design services to small and medium-scale enterprises.

Leigh Howard

“The additional income has increased my savings considerably and would enable me to make my purchase much sooner than I had hoped for. However, orders have fallen slightly in recent times,” she said.

Meanwhile, Great Eastern Life Assurance (M) Bhd senior group sales manager Reginald Yoganathan Hunt said a good part-time insurance agent with more than five years of experience can make up to RM6,000 in recurring commission.

“The insurance business can yield lucrative income even on a part-time basis, provided the agent is commited,” he said, adding that he had 16 part-time agents in his group.

Talent2 International Ltd director for South Asia Leigh Howard said the current job market in Malaysia was definitely slowing.

“Several multinational corporations have blanket hiring freezes although they would continue hiring for specialist skills,” he said, adding that the manufacturing sector appeared to be having a tough time as retrenchments loomed, but they were still looking for higher-grade skills as well.

“The current economic climate may also see wages stalling while the cost of living continues to rise,” he added.

Howard said that it was possible for employees to seek a second income but they should first check their current employer’s policies.

G. Rajasekaran

“Specific permission may be required and potential conflict of interest declared. It depends on the situation. The rule is, make sure a second job would not jeopardise your current one,” he said.

On the downside, a part-time job could be tiring and leave one with less time to spend with family and friends, Howard said.

“Also, look out for hidden expenses such as transport costs,” he added.

Malaysian Trades Union Congress secretary-general G Rajasekaran said there was no restriction on workers pursuing part-time jobs except for certain key or high-risk employment positions.

“In fact, in view of the rising cost of living, it was recently announced that government staff would be allowed to take on part-time jobs, but for a limited number of hours per day,” he said.

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Please post your comments.

Top 5 Internet Scams

Source: Divine Caroline

Internet scams are by no means a recent phenomenon, but certain scams come back again and again. Here are five popular Internet scams that you should be on the lookout for.

1. Auction fraud. Sure I love cheap stuff on eBay as much as the next guy, but that ’73 Collectors Edition Elvis Plate you’re bidding on might not be that great of a deal. Fake and stolen merchandise aren’t uncommon; even a Certificate of Authenticity doesn’t necessarily mean anything. As eBay Scam Watch puts it, “If a seller is willing to misrepresent a fake item as real, then what is the big deal of throwing in an authentic looking certificate?” Another scam is the “shill” scam: A seller wanting to drive up the price on his auction may bid himself or have his friends bid, just to make you pay more. If you notice a repeat bidder on a seller’s auction history, something’s probably up. One more tip: Never wire money directly to a seller—it’s almost impossible to retrieve the money if your purchase isn’t shipped.

This fortunately is not very widespread in Malaysia as very few Malaysians purchase stuff online. Or I might be wrong ? Has anyone here purchased anything on Lelong.Com or Ebay Malaysia ?

2. Bank fraud. “Phishing scams” are popular email scams. You’ll get an email from your bank warning you that someone has been trying to access your account. They’ll ask you to click on a link and verify your information, so the bank can take care of everything. No matter how legitimate the email looks, banks never email you asking for your information. The email is from a scammer hoping to empty your savings. The most recent scams play off government stimulus checks and EPPICards (for child support payments). Check the National Consumers League’s Internet Fraud Watch for tips to avoid such scams. Similar schemes play off mortgage and credit card debt elimination, with the scammer offering to get rid of your debt for a small fee ($1000-2000) and power of attorney authorizing transactions on your behalf. When this information (and payment) is entrusted to them, you’ll be left with nothing—except that mortgage or credit card bill they still haven’t taken care of.

According to a study, a spammer gets only 1 response per 12,500,000 emails he sends out. Despite the low success rate, scams by spam email is still widespread. We get this a lot in Malaysia as well. I've received spam email from scammers passing themselves off as "Citibank", "HSBC" etc officers asking for my banking details, apparently to "regulate some discrepancies in my account" or offering "special promotions". When in doubt, always call your bank. Note: dont' call the "bank's phone number" as prescribed in the spam email.

3. You’ve won a FREE Xbox fraud. Pretty much any time you’re given something for nothing you should be wary. As charitable as Bill Gates is, Microsoft Corporation is a business and isn’t going to give away thousands of free Xbox’s. The email will read something like this: “Congratulations! You’ve won a FREE Xbox (or iPod, or TiVo, or some other fancy gadget)! All we need is your address and credit card information to pay the $5.99 shipping/handling!” Don’t trust it, or you’ll soon find your credit card maxed-out—and probably five or six more cards you never knew you had.

This is the evergreen "winning something" scam. I can't believe people still fall for this trick. Before the advent of the internet, scammers used to call people's houses directly to operate this scam.

4. Charity fraud. Perhaps the most unfortunate scams in recent years have come in the wake of tragedies like 9/11, Hurricane Katrina, and the 2004 tsunami. When such tragedies occur, scammers take advantage of the fact that many people who are willing to help don’t know where to donate their money. Never trust an email asking for charitable contributions before verifying the credibility of the organization. Never open attached images or files, as they may be viruses. And never provide them your personal information. If you want to help, you should preferably donate directly to big-name organizations like the Red Cross or Amnesty International, which always organize direct disaster relief funds.

This is yet another evergreen scam. It is still carried out in real life by "volunteers" approaching random people at restaurants seeking donations for a variety of causes.

5. Murder for hire fraud. One of the most twisted Internet scams it the so-called “hit man scam.” The victim is contacted and told that he/she is to be assassinated or a loved one will be kidnapped, unless the recipient wires several thousand dollars to the sender of the email. In another version the “hit man” claims to be a law enforcement official who has recently discovered the recipient’s information in a captured murderer’s pocket. The recipient is then asked to contact the “authorities” to help with the investigation. Even if you feel someone is really out to get you, if you ever receive one of these emails, contact the police—immediately.

Although I've not heard of this scam done via the internet in Malaysia, I've read that in Kuala Lumpur scammers call the victims direcly claiming to be gangsters, hitmen, court officials etc, asking for "kau tim" money (a settlement sum) to "settle" an alleged matter.

The best way to keep your finances secure is to never give out any personal information unless you’re sure the site is reputable. If you think you’ve received a scam email, report it either to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, which also puts out yearly statistics on online fraud, or to the FBI’s Cyber Investigation Team.

Please post your comments.

1.8 Million Year Old Axe Discovered In Perak

This pic is for illustration only and has no relation to the story

Source: AFP

KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) — Malaysian archaeologists have announced the discovery of stone tools they believe are more than 1.8 million years old and the earliest evidence of human ancestors in Southeast Asia.

The stone hand-axes were discovered last year in the historical site of Lenggong in northern Perak state, embedded in a type of rock formed by meteorites which was sent to a Japanese lab to be dated.

So there were actually people living in Malaysia, then already. Can we speculate that the axe was made of a stone head attached to a bamboo handle ? :)

"We received news from Japan two weeks ago which said it is 1.83 million years old, so this find shows the existence of human beings there 1.83 million years ago," archaeology team leader Mokhtar Saidin told AFP.

"This is the earliest evidence of Paleolithic culture in the Southeast Asian region," said Mokhtar from Malaysia's University of Science, who said he believed the hand-axes were used by homo erectus, an extinct early human.

Homo erectus ? The name is very telling as to why they are extinct. Hahaha

The archaeologist said that the oldest homo erectus fossil discovered in the region is from Java in Indonesia, and dated at 1.7 million years old.

Internationally, the two oldest fossils are from Georgia (1.8 million years old) and China (between 1.7 and 1.8 million years), he said.

"This new find in Malaysia is actually older than those in Georgia and China, but the difference is that what we found was the tool, and we have to continue to look for the human bones," he said.

The oldest human skeleton ever found in Malaysia is the 11,000-year old Perak man, discovered in 1991.

Please post your comments.