Make Your Life Better

These simple advice are truly great.

Try to practise some of them everyday.

Words of Wisdom

Cybil Shepherd's Best

Heartbreaking Humour

Most of the younger generation will remember the Ben Stiller version of the Heartbreak Kid which was mostly comedic and meant to poke fun.

However, the original 1972 Heartbreak Kid was really something else. And much more.

Lusting or Loving?

Here, a young Charles Grodin played Lenny in a more 'awkward' and less funny way.

Lenny is the  protagonist who did not know what he wanted out of a relationship or even a marriage or two.

This original movie was also the true debutante platform for a young and charming Cybil Shepherd who played Kelly.

It showcased her physical form, beauty and cheekiness as she played love and lust games along with a confused Lenny.

Rapture and Capture

Lenny was actually spun like a top by this young thing who led him up the garden path from the beach in Miami to a remote cabin in Minnesota.

The stripping game in which Kelly toyed with Lenny  in the old cabin was  mischievously funny and reminds one of a coming of age movie.

An Icy Encounter with Kelly's parents

It is  sexual teasing that is so well done and remains one of moviedom extraordinary great moments which has yet to be paralleled up to this day!

The really weird confrontation between a silent and glummy Kelly's father and a brash and gutsy Lenny was equally amusing  particularly the scene when he tried to buy over Lenny, poker style with his wad of cash.

Lusty Cheekiness

The final scene when Lenny was totally lost even at his own wedding dinner after marrying Kelly truly exemplify the woes of a heartbreak kid!

What does he really want?

Amusing fare. Great movie!

The Goodbye Girl-A Gem of a Movie

Pure Entertainment

I finally managed to go down memory lane on this classic movie, "The Goodbye Girl".

Based on a Neil Simon play, this movie centers itself upon the lives of three main characters in an apartment in New York. It is a gem of an outing that plays on the rough edges of  love of the main players and the stressful breakups that can affect an innocent child.

Joy of New Love

Built around witty dialogues with Quinn Cummings as the precocious prima donna daughter Lucy, Marsha Mason as Paula-the unfortunate Good-bye Girl and Richard Dreyfuss as Elliot the Johnny-Comes-Lately actor that came into Paula's life, it testifies that love can stay and grow. All you do need is faith and trust.

Truly unpredictable, you will enjoy this one every time you go down memory lane.

Meditative Humour

And then there is that most unforgettable song by David Gates of the film title worth savouring time and again.

Smart-alecky Ten-Year Old Kid

I enjoyed this one!

The Old and the New

Well, technology and modernization has got in the way.

So has values.

Let us look at how design and technology have affected things that we have always took for granted.

And,believe me, in a big way!

Housing Non-affordability for the Next Generation of Employees?

I would say that is it a fact that the measures taken by Bank Negara Malaysia(BNM) and the Government's 2014 Budget has certainly cooled off the housing  market in the first half of 2014.

Historically the market has been on the move since 2000. The graph below is indicative of that trend.

Skyhigh

In a period of 10-years,house prices moved from RM 140K to almost RM 200K.  That is about RM 60K or  close to 43%.

Today in 2014, this is no longer true. As houses goes smaller in-built up and land area, prices have gone through the roof literary.

Go to any housing fair or exhibitions these days and you would not be able to find many units priced about RM 400K which is doubled of what you would pay in 2010.

Prices leap-frogged after 2012 due to speculation, market forces, low interest rate and the infamous DIBS or Developers Interest Bearing Scheme. As such, just put down 5% and buy more than one unit and sell one unit for quick profit after your receive the keys.

As I have mentioned earlier, today's house prices are sky-high. Landed properties go with  the million ringgit label while condominiums in choice areas are fetching almost as much.

Though the government measures have kicked in rather well,prices are not coming down anytime soon both for the new developed units nor for the subsidiary sales market. As such first-time would be buyers are left hanging high and dry.

The cooling down is definitely affecting developers as they delayed launches and put in super marketing schemes. Certainly, it has yet to hit the pockets of big developers as some have billion dollar projects in the pipe-line.

Be that as it may, this is not helping would be first time buyers as salaries have not kept up with house prices.

So, it looks like the rental market is definitely Hobson's choice for many as house prices stay stable and loans are hard to get.

ACCA-Half Way There

No Easy Task

8th August. 2014.

The double Eights was a good omen.

And this would be a milestone journal entry.

Believe me, my son had great trepidation about the results that he took a cup of coffee (which he does not normally do) as he awaited the results that was ready to be broad-cast on ACCA's web-site.

Thankfully,by the grace of God and his consistent studying, he sailed through.

This is a milestone event for him and this will mean that he has successfully finished the fundamental papers.

As a plus, he has also passed a Professional Paper on Governance and Ethics.

It is uphill at a steeper gradient from now on.

He will attempt two papers in December.

By God's mercy, and with motivation at his side, I hope he will overcome the next two papers.

A great day for great news.

I thank Almighty God.

All praises to Him!

Border Brouhaha!

Wild Cat Factory Buses Strike at the Causeway!

What a week for Malaysian getting into Thailand and Singapore!

Imagine a sudden 570 percent toll hike at the Causeway. And all at one go!

The word, "shocking" is just about the right word to use on this occasion.

From 1st August, this is the impact on the pocketbook of the average Johorean Joe.

As a reaction to the sudden toll increase, Singaporean authorities have announce a similar increase will be imposed anytime soon.

So, what does it all mean?

At the EDL, the toll will be increased from RM 15 to RM 30.

As for the silver lining of the increased VEP rate, there is still that 10 free days as well as off-peak hours gratis.

The average Johorean Joe driving a  car with Singaporean plate will also have to use only RON 97 petrol, weighing hard on his already financially frail shoulders!

 Assuming a top-up of RM 20 per VEP, per trip into Singapore means RM 50 from now on.

The commercial sector isn't getting a better treatment from the Singapore authorities when the monthly Goods Vehicle Permit is upped by a shocking 400%.

No More Malaysia Tour Bus Entry!

Above the boundaries of Peninsular Malaysia, all is not well too.

As a calculated reaction to so-called after Raya punitive action by Malaysian authorities on Thai-registered vehicles particularly on tinted glasses, the Thai authorities have decided to kick in as well.

Now, no Malaysian tour buses can enter Thailand. They have to stop at the border and all passengers will henceforth be ferried across in Thailand by Thai tour buses!

Wow, apa sudah jadi?

Both ends of the Peninsular are experiencing boundary issues!

So, Blue Eyes was right when he sang " Like a Kick to the Head " but this time it is dua kali for Malaysia!