Jijoweijipha

“A Serious Need for a full Construction Performance Audit”

Submitted to The Star newspaper, KL, Malaysia

on 22nd December 2009

I refer you to the front page news report “Roof Disaster II” today in The Star (22.12.2009). The recent spate of public building disasters over a short period of time (involving the Sultan Mizan Z.A. Stadium, the Sultan Mahmud Airport Terminal, the Batu Burok Aquatic Complex and yesterday's collapse of the Skylight Reflector of a bus terminal in Kuala Berang etc) is an imminent indication that there is a need for a serious overhaul on the current construction practice by contractors in the State of Terengganu.

Public Contract Governance and Responsibility

Due to the public nature, scope and extent of the disasters, the government must take immediate governance action to resolve the underlying problems relating to the construction performance involving public buildings in Terengganu and elsewhere in other States where similar situations have occurred over the past decades.

Independent Certification and Verification

It is interesting to know how these public buildings which were certified to be fit in the first place totally failed the fitness test subsequently after approval. It is believed that the Certificates of Fitness in question may have been issued without conducting thorough building fitness analysis and material test performance. Even if such tests have been conducted by the relevant authority, there is no certainty that these data is a true reflection of legal compliance when there is no independent testing party to verify the same. Approved and pre-approval certification process must therefore be subjected to a new and independent standard of test confirmation/verification process.

Public Contract Tendering Process

In the award of public contracts, contractors engaged in constructing public buildings must be subjected to the same rigorous private tender process to select only suitably qualified developers/contractors who will complete such projects according to schedule, construction best practice and statutory provisions. In this regard, it is advisable to elect only contractors from the higher Grade category who have the financial means apart from construction experience to comply with all safety, environmental, building and construction specifications.

If a lower Grade category contractors are given the opportunity to execute public project, it must be made abundantly clear that the construction works must be supervised by a construction committee comprising of certified construction experts. Perhaps, CIDB, the Works Ministry, the relevant District Councils and the Contractors Associations etc could work together to map out a common best practices framework with regards to the award and performance of public project contracts.

“Public Construction Policy”

The best approach forward is for the government to map out an integrated national “Public Construction Policy” to ensure smooth compliance, co-operation and understanding by all stakeholders with a view to rectify a horrendous building and construction record since the collapse of the Highland Towers in 1993.

The above proposals could also be incorporated into the current government's Key Performance Indicators(KPIs) assessment and will contribute to long term achievement in the respective National Key Results Areas(NKRA).

……………………………………
Jeong Chun Phuoc
Lecturer-in-Law
and a reader in Strategic Environmental Intelligence(SEI)
The writer can be reached at Jeongphu@yahoo.com
* Submitted to The Star newspaper, KL, Malaysia on 22nd December 2009

Naming your baby is probably one of the hardest decisions you're going to make in your life for most people. Some people have their baby names picked out for years while others might name the baby after someone in the family. The names should be well thought out because after all, it's going to stick with them for the rest of their lives.

Some babies are less fortunate though. Maybe it's the drugs given during birth or maybe they have done too many drugs in the 70's. Here are the most Ridiculous Baby Names on record. God bless their souls!

Female. It's pronounced “Fuh-mall-ee” In 1994 in New York Ashley was one of the most common names. About 2,151 baby girls registered as Ashley. The name Female, in 1994 an astonishing 2,516 girls were named Female. Let's not forget about the boys. 3,639 boys were named “Male” as well. In New York in 1994, it wasn't the parent's job to fill out the birth certificate it was the hospitals. When parents hadn't decided on a name yet, the nurses would often fill in the birth certificate with the child's gender even though they weren't supposed to. Although most parents went back and changed the name on the birth certificate to the desired name, believe it or not, some didn't.

It has also been reported that some parents have named their children “Syphillis, Gonorrhea, Urine, and Vagina. The parents thought it was a “pretty word”. Reports have been done on these names and many people have asked The Social Security Administration for records of these names but they continuously say “We can't tell you that, we only have a database of last names, so a search for first names would cost the taxpayers too much money.”

Here is a list of Ridiculous Baby Names.

Ridiculous Baby Names for Boys: Abba Abyss Amen Andrew's - Yes, with the apostrophe Apple As-Matik Bear Blade Brando Charm Confession Dwarf GQ Gal Go Godly Gospel Hey Holy Infinite Knight Sir Lancelot Lisa - Yes for a boys name Nadir- It means “absolute lowest point” Stalin Stallone Truth Unique Ridiculous Baby Names for Girls: Alaska Albert Beautiful Beautiphul - It's supposed to be a different way of spelling Beautiful Boat Chaos Chevy Chevette Choice Cuba Dynasty Final Galaxy He - yes for a girl. Infinity N/A Nada Precious Angel Prince Promise Providence Sin Sparkle Story Symphony Tall Tangerine Tequilla Treasure Unique Virgin Wednesday ZC Yes, all these names are real and were registered on their Birth Certificates.

Would you purchase a vehicle without a roof and doors? Of course not, so why do we purchase boats without covers? Boat covers protect your investment. Covering our boats saves us money, helps the boat retain value, and just makes sense. Not sure where to start? Well lets cover the basics, mate.

Doesn't Size Matter?

We all know that size matters, but not in the way that you'd think it does. The first thing you need to start shopping is the knowledge of what boat you possess. The covers are all basically the same for all size boats, it is the material that changes and should determine the outcome of the purchase. Boat covers are sold in three different sizes: custom, semi-custom, and universal fit. Simply tell the salesperson the make and model of your boat and rather you would like it to be standard or custom fit.

The Material Is The Key.

Selecting the appropriate material is like selecting the perfect fishing rod. Start by looking at your pocket book. There are economy covers for the thrifty individuals, cost effective covers for those who want a longer lasting buy, and high quality covers for the once in a lifetime buy. Here is a list of the types of materials and a few points about them.

Poly/cotton————————— minimum wear and tear———————— mostly water repellent
Polyester substrate————— more durable and lighter weight————– user friendly during storage(flexible)
Polyester—————————– high durability—————————————less chance of mildew
Polyester/urethane coating—– resistant to mildew, UV, and water———– cost effective/most popular
Solution dyed acrylic fiber—— Sunbrella resists mildew, stains————– high quality w/ 35yr. history

Now you have the arsenal to battle your way to the perfect boat cover. The top names I think of are ShoreMaster, Taylor Made, and Westland. They are all great on quality and pricing. If you are still not going to run out to the nearest store to protect your new recreational vehicle, try sitting at your computer. Go2marine has a user friendly website that offers free shipping. All you need to do is click on your boat and choose your material. To get more information check out enzine articles.

I absolutely love Thai food and could live off of it for days if it was healthier. My favorite dish is Pad Thai, so when I came across Ka-Me Pad Thai I was all set to try it. It didn't completely excite me, but I definitely wasn't disappointed in it either.

Interesting Facts: Ka-Me (KAH-MAY) when translated means turtle. The turtle signifies a happy and long life according to Japanese legend. Ka-Me has been in business more than 30 years.

Availability :
Ka-Me Pad Thai is widely available. You can find it on the shelves in most grocery stores. If you're interested in buying this product in bulk, you can do so online.

Price:
I paid $2.89 for a 11.6 ounce (330 grams) box of Ka-Me Pad Thai. A little more expensive then I thought it would be, but it's worth the price. However, you can probably find it cheaper. If you buy it in bulk online, you can get definitely get it for cheaper.

Nutritional Facts:
Ka-Me Pad Thai isn't exactly something you would eat if you were on a strict diet. They label the serving size as half a package, so the serving size per container is two. I found that if you eat it by yourself for lunch or dinner and you didn't have anything heavy to eat the whole day, you can eat the entire box in one sitting.

For each serving, there are 310 calories and 100 calories from fat. There is 11 grams of fat per serving, 3 grams of saturated fat, zero trans fat, zero cholesterol, 790 milligrams of sodium, 45 grams of carbohydrates, 2 grams of dietary fiber, 15 grams of sugar, and 9 grams of protein.

Smell:
The smell is actually really good for Pad Thai in a box. It has a quite appealing savory smell to it.

Ingredients:
Ingredients in the Ka-Me Pad Thai Rice Noodles are water, rice flour, wheat flour, rice bran oil, salt, acidulants (Lactic acid, acetic acid) sodium tripolyphosphate, Dl alpha tocopherol (anti-oxidant), sodium carbonate.
Ingredients in the Ka-Me Pad Thai Sauce: water, shallots, sugar, soy oil, straw mushrooms, baby corn, onions, peanuts, tamarind, soybean curd, garlic, dried shrimp, soy sauce (water, soybeans, wheat flour, salt), salt fish sauce (anchovy extract, salt, sugar) fresh and dry chili, caramel color, Dl alpha tocopherol (anti-oxidant).

Look of the product and it's packaging:
The packaging of the Ka-Me Pad Thai looks like a cute little take out box. The picture of the product on the front of the box looks incredibly appealing. I had my doubts when I opened the box though and saw the noodles in one bag and the sauce in another. I mixed the two together, microwaved it, then noticed that the full pieces of baby corn and mushrooms that were visible in the dish on the front of the box were hard to locate. I took a closer look and saw small pieces of mushrooms and pieces of baby corn that looked like they were halves of whole pieces. I was a little disappointed at the lack of vegetables.

Cooking Time and Cooking Prep:
You pour the noodles in the box that the product is sold in. You separate the noodles then pour the sauce on the noodles. You close the box up, microwave it for two minutes, then mix together after it's heated.

Taste:
Ka-Me Pad Thai tastes surprisingly delicious. It had a sweet and spicy taste to it that was really pleasant. It left a lingering taste, so it wasn't one of those packaged foods that you take the bite and as soon as you swallow it the flavor is gone. The sauce is really flavorful and the noodles have a good texture to them.

Warnings: The front of the box of Ka-Me Pad Thai states “Thai noodles with Pad Thai Sauce, straw mushrooms and baby corn.” However, you have to read the ingredients on the back of the package to be aware that there is dried shrimp in the sauce. There is a statement in bold letters on the back of the box that says “This product contains peanuts, wheat and soy. Produced in a facility that uses fish and shellfish. Refrigerate after opening.”

Final Thoughts: Although the Ka-Me Pad Thai isn't as good as Pad Thai that you would get in a restaurant I highly recommend it. It's perfect for a really great tasting, quick to prepare meal.

A computer equipped with photo editing software will be needed to create magazine cover party invitations. A home publishing program like Quark Express or Microsoft Publisher will also work. Select a recent photo of the host or subject of your party. The guest of honor can be used for Birthday and graduation parties or baby showers. Use stock images for parties that are being planned to celebrate holidays or sporting events. Gather all of the information for your party including the theme, date, time and location.

Build a large 8×11 inch document on your computer. Draw a colored rectangle at the top and bottom sections of your document. The top rectangle should be larger in width to make room for your Magazine title. Create a title that is similar to your favorite magazine publications. This may or may not include popular magazines like Marie Claire, Entertainment Weekly, Vogue and Sports Illustrated. Type your magazine title in a large sized font using different colors that compliment the top rectangle.

You can also replace the name of any magazine with the title, theme or subject of your party. Insert the photo in the middle of your rectangles, making sure that it takes up most of the page. Make various headlines for your party information using different fonts and colors. Spread the headlines out to different sections of your cover using the text editing feature. Draw a small white square near the bottom left side of your page.

This square will represent a UPC bar and should not be more than a few inches in size. There should be enough room on the bottom rectangle to add your UPC bar. Draw a group of black lines that vary in size and width inside of the white box. Type any RSVP information on the bottom right side of that same rectangle. The RSVP information will then be located directly across from your UPC bar.

Get the Magazine Cover Party invitations laminated to make them look realistic. Plastic school report covers can also work to add extra shine to these Magazine party invitations. Send your Magazine Cover party invitations out using 11×17 inch or similar size envelopes. They can also be rolled, secured with colorful ribbons and given to invited guests in person. Once you get used to creating a basic Magazine layout, there are dozens of modifications that can be done to create unique party invitations.

Whether you're an aspiring DJ or VJ, a professional or amateur sound technician, a video newbie or a professional, one thing is certain. You have a never-ending need for hot, fresh, cool background sounds.

Background music is the key to many successful video projects. It sets the mood and exposes the many emotional underpinnings of your artistic work.

If only finding really great background music were easy… not to mention free.

Believe it or not, there are several ways to get really great, high-quality background music for your project absolutely free. Of course, there are a few hoops to jump through, but you'll find it well worth the trouble. Before you set out to find the next great background track, remember a few rules of the road.

1) Never (ever) give out your personal information to access a “members area” of a website which claims to be free. It's highly unlikely that there is any real content to be had by giving this information out.

2) Never (ever) (ever!) give out your credit card information to a website which claims to be free. Ask yourself, “Why would they collect my credit card information if it's free?”

3) Read all of the information provided by the website regarding licensing. I know it's very boring, but it's worth your time to understand what you can and cannot do (legally) with the content you'll download.

4) Remember, all music is created by some artist (or artists). Just like your art, theirs deserves respect. Plagiarism or artistic theft is serious business, so be courteous to your fellow artists.

Now for the good stuff. Here are a few places to go if you'd like to find great background music for free.

Freeplay Music - www.FreePlayMusic.com

Freeplay Music is the very best source for free background music on the Internet. Whether you're looking for a solemn march or a lighthearted “feel good” soft rock track (or anything in between), you can find it on Freeplay Music.

Freeplay is searchable by keyword. You may also browse according to feeling, genre, and album. The advanced search feature on Freeplay makes finding the perfect background track a cinch.

As with any website of this nature, read first. Freeplay Music has very specific guidelines regarding the use of their free background music tracks. For more information about these policies and conditions, please visit www.FreePlayMusic.com.

The Internet Archive - www.Archive.org

Have you ever visited your local library and rifled through the CD racks trying to find the one decent CD in the collection? That' sort of what it's like using The Internet Archive.

While it's not the easiest thing to find, there is a lot of free music to be downloaded from the archive.

The easiest way to find the music you're looking for is by performing a search. Browsing through The Internet Archive will not likely give you very good (or fast) results. Try searching for specific sounds, like “soothing piano,” or “upbeat rock.” These searches will likely provide you with the best results.

The best part is that the information, pictures, music, ebooks, podcasts, videos, and multimedia content of all kinds on www.Archive.org are all available to the public free of charge. There's no sign-up required, and you will be surprised at how much good content is available from The Internet Archive.

Free background music abounds on the Internet, but it takes some perseverance to find the perfect track sometimes. Hopefully these tips help point you in the right direction.

Critically acclaimed Once Were Warriors won best film at the New Zealand Film & Television Awards, Durban International Film Festival, Montreal Film Festival and Rotterdam Film Festival. Its biting interpretation of modern day Mãori struggle impacts audiences with reflections on New Zealand's dark secrets.

Set in the backdrop of Auckland, New Zealand, Once Were Warriors follows the life of the Hekes, a contemporary Mãori family, as they struggle with cultural degradation that manifests in domestic violence.

Beth Heke, played by Rena Owen, is the mother of three children and wife of Jake “the Muss” Heke. Played by Temuera Morrison, Jake is nicknamed for his physical presence, “the Muss” being short for “Muscles.”

The couple's life started under the disapproving eye of Beth Heke's traditional family who are steeped in the old ways of the Mãori culture. Her husband is an example of how those traditions are jeopardized in a sub-culture of gangs and lost directives.

Married for eighteen years, Jake and Beth live in a slum with their five children. Jake is perpetually out of work and what little money that comes into their life is spent on alcohol and entertaining Jake's questionable acquaintances.

Beth struggles to balance between appeasing her husband's insatiable partying and leading her children along the path of life with traditional Mãori values. Jake's violent temper continually disrupts her efforts and squelches her will.

The Heke's five children find home life a frightening and unstable experience. It is often Grace, the eldest daughter, who manages cleaning, feeding and attending to her younger siblings. Her efforts are often futile as the large crowds of partiers that are welcomed by her father drain the family's cash and food and leave their home in tatters.

Jake presents himself as an easy going guy out for a good time but his temper creates constant tension. It takes only a moment for him to lash out and his wife is often the object of his beatings. During one party, Jake's anger turns into a savage attack of Beth in front of their friends, none of which step in to defend her as her husband brutally beats and rapes her.

The Heke's children are adrift amid their parent's dysfunctional relationship. The eldest son, Nig, is dispelled by his father's brutal behavior and finds a new family in a street gang where his initiation includes a savage beating and facial tattoos.

The second son, Mark, is placed in a state home for his history of minor criminal offences. Although traumatic, the event transforms Mark's life as he finds a new mentor and discovers his rich Mãori heritage.

Their thirteen-year-old daughter Grace attempts to escape through her writing, she journals her frustration and angst. She shares her fear with the only friend she has, a drug-addicted homeless boy named Toot who lives in a wrecked car under the highway. Toot is the only person who listens to her and truly cares.

The film's climax heightens the brutality of the Heke's life and highlights the danger that is their children's reality. The partying, the alcohol and the dysfunctional environment of Jake and Beth's life lead to an irreversible event that shakes them as parents.

Jake continues on his destructive path but the incident frees Beth from the chains of her soulless life with her brutal husband. She discovers her strength, dormant but still pulsing with the dignity of her ancestor's heritage. With her new determination, she begins reassembling her identity, her family and after a long, dark past begins looking to the future.

Once Were Warriors was New Zealand's first indigenous blockbuster. Its startling interpretation of the struggle of modern day Mãori culture is as difficult to turn away from as it is to watch.

For several years, I worked as an appliance salesman at a national appliance retailer. Throughout this time I learned everything about various appliances, especially refrigerators, and now I have a greater understanding of what makes a refrigerator worth your time and money. For the most part, consumers are searching for a refrigerator that will enhance their kitchen's appearance as well as keep their sensitive foods fresher for longer. While there are thousands of refrigerators on the market today, very few of these refrigerators will provide you with the necessary features and technologies to not only preserve your food but also last you many years. The LG 22 Cu. Ft. Bottom Freezer Refrigerator, Model: LBN22515 is one of the coolest refrigerators because it will provide you with the best in cooling technology, and its life-expectancy is in upwards of a decade.

Main Product Features:

The first feature within this refrigerator that I want to discuss is the fact that it allows you to control the temperatures, both in the refrigerator and the freezer, through a simple interface. The electronic temperature management system will provide you with precise temperatures through the double temperature adjusters located in the refrigerator and the freezer sections. It is very important that when you purchase a refrigerator it comes with this type of temperature management system, because temperatures can vary greatly depending on the use of the refrigerator. Now, you can rest assured that the temperature will remain constant throughout the entire unit without cold or warm spots.

With advanced features, such as the IcePlus system, which produces nearly double the amount of ice within a 24 hour period, this refrigerator is perfect for entertaining. The smart design allows your kitchen to have a smart and sophisticated appeal, and since it is a bottom freezer, you will have more usable space throughout both the fresh foods and freezer sections.

Within the fresh food section you will have two humidity controlled bins as well as a dairy center and a snack drawer. The glass shelves have been split to allow maximum storage safety. This section also provides you with a total of 15.5 cubic feet of storage space, making it large enough for families and versatile for young professionals.

The freezer compartment comes with ice trays as well as one shelf and one bin. However, since the freezer is located on the bottom of this refrigerator, the 6.9 cubic feet of storage will seem much larger, making it perfect for bulk frozen foods.

Product Price:

Consumers will be able to find this LG refrigerator for an average price of only $900, which is one of the lowest prices I have ever seen for an LG refrigerator.

The Timberland Outlier Rugged Plain Toe Oxford is truly designed for maximum comfort. This is a fast moving Men's model that is really worth the price. This looks stunning and is perfectly crafted. Innovation is the key to survive in any industry and especially in footwear where in new models are cropping every now and then. The unique PreciseFit technology makes this shoe so special. The performance is extraordinary and efficiency is enhanced by ergonomic design. This is a perfect pair of shoes for any type of activity including hiking. You can walk for long hours without straining your body.

As the name suggests the focus of the PreciseFit technology is to ensure that the wearer gets maximum comfort by the precisely designed system that fits perfectly. The makers have put in sufficient thought while employing this technology. The main idea behind this technology is to ensure that it is designed to suit the individual. This fits every individual of different size and weight. These shoes remain intact and do not give you any trouble in long run. This is imported and the quality is indisputable. The exclusive hex-flex outline delivers an extraordinary multi surface traction.

The main reason for the misfit of footwear is that different people have different sole size and there is difference even between the two feet of the same individual. To counter this problem the PreciseFit technology has come up with a creative tri-fit system depending on the variations in forefoot girth. This is done by providing varying thickness of footbed in each shoe. The foot bed is basically an insert that can be slide based on the individuals comfort. With a pair of Timberland Outlier Rugged Plain Toe Oxford it is as if it is designed especially for you. Such is the fit and the comfort. This is an ideal casual footwear.

This is an all weather shoe. The pigskin leather lining really does wonders and provide extra protection from rough weather. This comes in superfine first grade waterproof leather. This gives a special rugged look and has a style appeal. The comfort factor is guaranteed by incorporating the exceptional Smart Comfort system technology. It has an amazing shock absorption feature. This is built light weight so that the user can move around freely. The arch support offered by this shoe is commendable. At $130 the Timberland Outlier Rugged Plain Toe Oxford is a cool pair of shoes.

Athlete's foot is often associated with people who are very active, like runners, dancers, or football players. But, despite its name, you don't have to be an athlete to suffer from athlete's foot. In fact, anyone who wears shoes can find themselves dealing with this condition.

The fungus that causes athlete's foot thrives in a warm, moist environment. And that's exactly the kind of environment you'll find inside your sneakers or loafers after you've been walking around in them for a few hours, especially on a hot day.

If you have athlete's foot, you're probably suffering from one or all of the following symptoms.

* Itching, burning and stinging between your toes.

* Itchy blisters on your feet.

* Peeling, cracking skin on the soles of your feet and between your toes.

* Thick, discolored, or misshapen toenails.

* If you really have athlete's foot, there will almost always be some sign of the infection (itching, burning, peeling skin) between the last two toes on your foot.

Athlete's foot isn't usually a serious condition. In fact, with these simple home remedies, you can treat athlete's foot at home.

If you're suffering from athlete's foot, keep your feet dry.

Keeping your feet cool and dry will help stop the fungus that causes athlete's foot from growing and spreading. So, make sure your feet are completely dry before putting on your shoes and socks. And if your feet get wet and sweaty during the day, change into a dry pair of shoes and clean, dry socks.

Treat athlete's foot with an over-the-counter antifungal solution.

Use an over-the-counter remedy to help get rid of the fungus that causes athlete's foot. Choose an antifungal solution rather than a cream. Creams can actually help trap moisture between your toes. And, since keeping your feet dry is the first step in treating athlete's foot, that's the last thing you want.

Treat athlete's foot with a medicated powder.

Sprinkle a medicated powder, like Desenex, Tinactin and Micatin, on your feet before putting on your shoes and socks. Not only will the powder help to treat your athlete's foot, it will also absorb moisture and help keep your feet dry.

Soak your feet in saltwater daily.

This daily treatment can go a long way towards helping you get rid of athlete's foot.

In a basin, mix two teaspoons of salt for every pint of warm water. Soak your feet in this mixture for five to ten minutes every day for one or two weeks. The saltwater will impede the growth of the fungus that causes athlete's foot. It will also make your feet sweat less.

Don't stop treatment too soon.

Even when it seems like the home remedies have worked, and your athlete's foot is gone, you're not out of danger yet. If you stop treatment too soon, athlete's foot could return, forcing your to start all over again. So, continue treatment for at least two weeks after your athlete's foot seems to have cleared up.

Try these home remedies, and could be rid of the pain, itching, and irritation of athlete's foot in no time.