Jason Liew

Having sat for the English exam 2 weeks ago, I’m getting my result in tomorrow morning. IELTS is not easy, I don’t expect to pass with flying colors. Just simply an overall band 6.5  with no individual band lower than 6, is suffice to me. However, it is good to know that IELTS awarding body has abolished the rule about banning candidate from resitting exam within 3 months after first attempt.

It is generally known that February intake is a better intake compared to July’s in Australian universities. Therefore, I had been working very hard all the way to fight for time. Getting a nice A Levels forecast. choosing subject, sending application, and sitting for IELTS, while I was having classes still in A Levels.

Having a rest after completing Pre-U course, taking a break for soul searching, and attending all kinds of career talks,  sound great. However, maybe not everyone has the luxury of time. Spent half years in UEC, a Chinese Pre-U course, before joining A Levels, I have decided not to take another academic transition break in my life.

Don’t get me wrong. Yes, I’m a Chinese educated guy, and I’m very proud of that. For the easy life in A Levels, I have to admit that, it was majorly contributed by the extremely excellent and solid  academic foundation I have gained through my Chinese education back in High School.

However, English proficiency is but the eternal pain of Chinese education. Critics might argue that  under Chinese education, some of the students are still extremely proficient in English language, but we are looking at  the big picture. I firmly believe that, a large portion of Chinese educated students do feel challenging to meet the satisfactory level of international requirement for English proficiency, including me.

Go Big or Go Home? The answer will be revealed tomorrow.

For Related Post :  Sitting For IELTS

Tags: A+Levels, Pre, University, IELTS, English, Proficiency, Language, Exam, Chinese, Education, UEC, Result

Rising petrol price? Rising toll fees? Increasing transportation expenditure? Hopefully, this can make you feel better.

For the same quality of petrol, you have been paying more and more,  at least now, you have a better service quality to  be compensated with.

For related posts : UMNO Motorshow

Tags: Petrol, Station, Red+Carpet, Oil, Fuel, Car, Transportation, Toll, Fee, Rise, Cool, Service

Yes, this is just a piece of paper.

I seriously feel that with this kind of cool craftsmanship, this video can be used as an advertisement for scissors.

Does this guy have talent? I don’t know, but I’m very sure that he has a lot of time.

The following video is a slide show of his complete collection.

(For RSS readers, the video is here.)

For Related Posts : We Make Art Not Money (Audi) , Sony Bravia Ads

Tags: Cool, Fun, Paper, Cut, Art, Time, Video

“…there is one road in Putrajaya that is different. Although the path affords a telescopic view of the onion-domed citadel that is the new prime-ministerial office, this strip of asphalt is mysteriously overgrown with weeds and scrub. No gleaming skyscrapers have taken root here. Only one building stands forlornly at the road’s dead end: the office of former Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad, the man whose two-decade building spree turned Malaysia into an economic tiger and whose grandiose dream included the construction of Putrajaya itself. The irony for the 81-year-old Mahathir must be overwhelming: Is this really how the story of one of Asia’s modernizing forces is to conclude, at the dead end of an unkempt road in the futurist metropolis he created? …”

Being an avid reader of TIME magazine, I have read this article a few weeks ago through my subscription. Published in TIME magazine dated 6 November 2006, I recently found out that this article is now available in FULL CONTENT online. Nice thing, the link is here.

We are not childish to think that there is an absolute “right” and “wrong” in every conflict. Have a look at 9-11 and Iraq War, history had proven more than once that, the leader with the most support is not necessary having truth at his side.   Every man has his own view, especially for those great politicians leading nations with vision and passion. Therefore, what we are trying to do, is not to judge, but to understand. Following blindly is purely an act of loyalty. What we need at this troubled moment of Malaysia,  is not more loyalty, but more rationality.

For Related Posts :

TIME’s Interview: Mahathir, TIME’s Extended Interview: Mahathir,

TIME’s Interview: Abdullah, UMNO General Assembly,  What Michael Backman talked about Malaysia , Why We Fight

Tags: Mahathir, Mohamad, Abdullah, Badawi, Former, Prime, Minister, Interview, TIME, Magazine, Asia, Politics, Economy, Racism, Corruption, Chinese, Malays, UMNO

“If You Can Make It There, You Can Make It Everywhere”, an inspirational ads from one of the German car manufacturers owning a Formula-1 team, Renault.

I have a suggestion for our Petronas sponsored F1 team, the newly formed BMW Sauber in this year. (previously known as Sauber Petronas)

If they were to advertise also, try this:
“If you can make it there, you have been spending taxpayers’ money all the way.”

Taking 90 Hectares of precious natural land, spending RM286 million, to build this Sepang F1 Circuit. Yes, Malaysia Boleh. We are the FIRST country in the South East Asia to have a Formula 1 track, second in Asia, with Japan being the first. While our education sector doesn’t even has enough fund, to train sufficient amount of required engineers and experts. Building wonders by paying and using foreign technology and expertise, what’s the damn thing that we are so proud of? FIRST. FIRST. FIRST. So what? The sad fact is that, regardless of the outsourcing, we were never once the FIRST in the race, and we are never going to be. *

(* : Sauber Petronas has been bought over by BMW in this year. Petronas is currently just a premium partner of BMW Sauber.)

For related posts : What Michael Backman Talked about Malaysia

Tags: Renault, Advertisement, Formula+1, racing, cars, Petronas, Sauber, sponsor, Malaysia, Germany, BMW, Sepang, Circuit

Have a look at the Jaguar’s logo…  (BMW) 

Not all the people are equal, neither car brands. (Mercedes Benz)

I can take all. Nobody will be left behind. (Volkswagen)

I can take all. Nothing will be left behind. (Hyundai)

It’s all about respect. (Ford)

“Working” hard for a better next generation? (KIA)

For related posts: $38 Million Volkswagen Cold & Climate Center,

Branding or Bureaucracy

Tags: Car, Advertisement, BMW, Mercedes, Benz, Jaguar, Ford, KIA, Hyundai, Volkswagen

Nothing about ugly politics in a beautiful Sunday morning.
Here is an over-million-views video by DiGiTiLsOuL, in YouTube.

It is a simple question: “Why Do You Wake Each Day?”
but we know the reason is not going to be easy, neither simple.
Give a try, and ask yourself.
Do post me a comment and tell me about what makes you wake up every day.
Wish you all have a nice Sunday!
(For RSS Readers, the video is here.)

For Related posts : 5 Million Views’ Free Hug

Tags: DigitilSoul, Why, Do, You, Wake, Up, Each, Day, YouTube, Director, Video, Life

The original article by Disillusioned Rebel was good. However, I found out that what Mamakk comment about that post, was even better. Short and precise. It has just struck a cord with me, saying that “Damn it, that is so true!”

“IMHO, by creating more barriers to education, business, etc for the Chinese, it only strengthened them. Now, it’s the norm for all middle-class Chinese families to send their children overseas for further education. And when they do come back, with a prestigious degree, a wider outlook of the world and a deep resolve to continue to better themselves, to expect no sympathy and handouts, can you really blame them for doing better and them feeling proud about their achievements?

Even worse, when they get back home after a day’s hard work and switch on the TV: they see politicians asking them to go back to China if they don’t like it here, they see politicians threatening to use the keris, they see double-standards in the execution of the law, they see megaprojects involving billions of ringgit being wasted away, they see, they see, they see.”

Have a read about it, it’s definitely worth your time. The mamakk link is here. 

For related posts : The Malaysian Chinese Dilemma, UMNO General Assembly

Tags: Politics, Economy, Wealth, Inequality, Racism, Chinese, Malays, Malaysia

I saw this BMW advertisement today.

At the right bottom, it was written “BMW,  voted the favorite car in France.”

In the advertisement, a French “Road Authority officer”, had given fines to all those overtime cars behind BMW. However, the officer was trying to pay for the overtime BMW.

A quite nice ads in illustrating that French likes BMW.

After watching BMW ads, it reminded me about  this YouTube video by Malaysian, that I had watched a few months ago. Having similar theme with the BMW ads,  the only difference was that, the latter wasn’t just an ads, but a reality in Malaysia. 
( For RSS readers, the video link is here. )

Trying to differentiate them by Branding and Bureaucracy, for  the former ads and the latter video, they were all alike. I looked from BMW to Malaysian’s, and from Malaysian’s to BMW again; but it was already impossible to say which was which.

For Related Posts : How much I Paid for Illegal Parking,
The Best Way to Fight Corruption is To Corrupt, The Ending of Animal Farm

Tags: BMW, Car, Illegal, Parking, France, Malaysia, Police, Sticker, Immunity, Fine, Animal+Farm, Branding, Bureaucracy, Advertisement,

With the publication of Gizmodo, mamakk, and thousands of updated and tech savvy blogs, we had created a massive public pressure on this pirated iPod Nano seller, “Double Click”. And he has decided to close the aforementioned deal in Low Yat Forum.

Being a Low Yat Forum member,  I have sent “Double Click” a link for my today post. This is an apology message from the seller, “Double Click”, replying me through forum system.

I sincerely hope that, this is putting an end to the issue.
Besides that, “Double Click” is now selling ORIGINAL GeForce graphic cards and some beautiful laptop skins. Compared to those illegal stuff, this sounds far better.

Yes, I am quite happy today.
Through this issue, bloggers have taught me about THE POWER OF JOURNALISM. 

For related posts : Apple iPod vs Epal iPod, Mamakk’s blog about Fake iPod

Tags: Fake, Apple, iPod, Epal, Double+Click, Gizmodo, Forum, Journalism