Privacy -- Part II

Beware of what you share.

Talk about privacy...again.

If you ever sometimes feels somebody or something is snooping you in private..think again. It might not be your paranoia.
It might be your nemesis...or your wannabes even your secret admirer. But here's the news -- it might be some 'superpower' checking in on you and what you post.

I have been quite very very careful commenting on goings here in this country..(I refused to even spell the country's name just in case ). What more after the latest law had seen some victims having no-escape route to it.
To date there had been more than four person being held by the police because they;

 1) snap a photos of an accidents involving some local punks (dead in the accident...yayyy) and published it over the net

 2) another one had been (maybe now enjoying) her meals behind bars after she sent WhatsApps messages to her landlord cursing and degrading him because the latter asked her to moved out of the rented house.

Now...don't you think it is so darn easy to get free meals here in this country?...It does.
Thus why I am more than careful here....You see...I have LOADS of things I wanted to tell and write and shoutabout...but I'm practicing 'abstinence' in order for my partner to be able to continue his profession here...hah hah.

Anyway, just one more latest news on our raped privacy via online.

In the US, two senators introduced a bill that would enforce social media firms such as Facebook and Twitter, to warn law enforcement when they detect terrorist activity on their platforms.

They suggested that if they (the companies) become aware of terrorist activity in any form, they have the obligation to report that information to law enforcement.
While they claimed that the companies would not be required “to monitor customers or undertake any additional action” and the bill is not a way to criminalise free speech, I would think it is a sorta handcuffing us in some way or another.

Que sera sera.....

Words of Wisdom.

Learning different languages is no doubt very interesting, at least for those who have the interest in doing so.
I have read some books that have been translated into several different languages, but to date the one written by Paulo Coelho is still top the chart (perhaps). The particular book written by him has to date being translated into a whopping 80 different languages, and the fact that it made a best seller not in his own country making it more compelling for us to have the desire of  learning another language.

Sometimes, expressing oneself in another language is much more easier than expressing in your own mother tongue for example yours truly; because I found English is a language that has better translation and gives more impact  for me in my verbal and written manifestation of life and whatnot's.

However, this recent research from the British Council, which I came across in one write-up, claimed that around three-quarters of British people don’t speak another language well enough to have a basic conversation.
Well that is ab-so-lute-ly (with 'that' Brits expression please) daunting given the fact that British were one of the earliest people who roam the world in order to find new pastures to conquer.
With that, I am somehow glad they did. Otherwise, English language might not be Malaysia's second language; where it is a must to learn from elementary stage.

It is also mentioned in the report that they face problems in businesses such as selling a product or negotiate a deal, and as the Department of Business, Innovation and Skills (BIS) of UK found out they are literally 'losing out on an incredible £48bn a year in lost exports as a direct result of its lack of language skills'.

That is quiet a sum.
It added that a lot of SMEs see languages as a cost when it is actually an investment.

Now that I know that, I must share one person among the family circle whom, is well equipped with Mandarin, French, Germany, and Japanese besides English as second language and Bahasa Malaysia as the mother tongue.
That is six in total up his sleeves.
Yup, as a person who have great inclinations towards languages -- I envied him. Totally.
He's a polyglot.
He spend his break learning language(s) by going to the origin country.
And how original is that. Duhh...

I only have a smearing two.
I'm a bilingual. But to a certain point would like to consider myself a multilingual.
That is because I occasionally use two other languages in the house with the kids (in order to express myself) understood quite well one of them even though I don't know it by reading and writing.
It is a combination of what I call half-way-done and the x-rated one. They say, you must learn the bad words first because it will easier to learn the rest of other words...(Im suspecting those who says that must have some sort of penchant for language in their own special way)...to a certain extend, I am in agreement though.

Another personal example exposure to languages will excite the brain and triggers the acceptance thus the start usage of it would be my four year old. She would always occasionally with spontaneity use the word 'la' in replacement of no, and learnt that from her friend at school.

I remembered my French language instructor, whom despite being born into a family with different mother-tongue, even speaks French in his dream, told as joke by his partner. Conclusion? That is what language would do to you. It will take over your subconscious mind.It will stay in you -- of course with continuously conversing and using it.
My dad whom speaks and write Germany, after decades coming back home and with no one to converse with, still understand the language even though slow but fail to work a full sentences now.

Living here in the middle east, has made me somewhat learning few Arabic words -- indirectly though.
My dad would every now and then on my visiting home yearly, ask me whether have I started taking up Arabic.
You know, as a Muslim; he'd told me the good side of learning that language will enable me better understanding the Quran when I read it, even though the Quran wordings are not the typical Arabic words.
We (me and partner) were told that Quranic language is more like a literature.
Or a Sastera Melayu in Malay even perhaps like trying to really understand William Shakespeare in English.
Nonetheless, I liked to jest around and said yes I know Arabic -- and I will start mentioning all those 'salaams' and some words I repeatedly hearing on the tele such as (gha)radaan, karriban and al-laylah -- yup, spending time in front of the tele does have some good side of it you know!

Despite easy communications when travelling abroad, having to know other languages prove to be beneficial too. While waiting for future engagement or advancement in life -- one can tutor, or become a translator and make an income. It is a skill.
A very good example one co-founder of British SMI mentioned -- his company paid someone to translate their webpage into Germany for £700 and £500 for another language.
There is market for translator, in deed.

Even though online translation is available for us to make use of; such as Google Translate-- it doesn’t have the acuity for correct translation especially when it comes to the usage of words as an adverb, or adjective.
It is quite ridiculous to expect a computer to do it amicably.

Coming back to the fact that the most  Brits doesn't acquire more language except their own, as a Malaysian, I felt lucky somehow that the country is among nine of the most multilingual country.

This was shared with me by a multilingual person -- once you learn another language both written and verbal, it will be much more easier for you to learn the next and the so forth.

C'est tout!
Lets start learning.

Privacy.

In my email today..

Talk about privacy.
I must admit I sometimes, nope like 80 percent of the time will not read any sort of agreement sent by all these social platform...It's too long, and sometimes can get too complicated or they intentionally make it complicated so people like me will ceased reading it after few paragraphs.
I think I am among the thousands of people that just click the 'Read" and 'Accepted'...Im pretty sure of that.

But, today, and never have been, I received the above in my email.
Like -- hey, how do they know.
I haven't been out rating anything at all past twelve months.
And how do they actually get to trace my IP address checking out this Brazilian churrascaria....

Hmmmmm.....
Talk about privacy.
    

Online Banking Warning.

They will try every mean possible to get you in their scam net.
This is the latest try I must say.
Never receive anything like this before, however without clicking on the 'proceed' -- I decided to log in and everything seems okay.

So watch out and be aware.

Internet and Cybercrime Law.

With what's going on back home in Malaysia, I think it is a high time Malaysia take similar action such as Singapore and Qatar in monitoring the existence of some portals that can be post unhealthy writeups and help curb slanderous news among the netizen, especially among the youth who dominates the cyberspace and spend their time  on the www searching for almost anything from music to news what lifestyles is in right now.

Obviously there would be those who will call it the beginning of the death of freedom of Internet writing and expression, but hey, we DO need some kind of regulations. 
We have regulations to follow all our life.
From young to old.
At home. On the road. In our own country and abroad.

Simply put it like this.
Try watch movies, in Malaysia, or those who are familiar with MBC in the Gulf and other Arabic speaking countries, the word F*** or part nudity  even sometimes passionate french kissing scene will definitely get censored--it goes the same for internet freedom.
The reason is simply because some people are responsible and others are not.

The recent move announced by Singaporean authorities to regulate certain Internet news sites has gained criticism and so does the latest new draft on cybercrime if passed, by the Qatari cabinet will definitely not gain support from most netizen.

In Singapore, the Media Development Authority (MDA)will by the 1st of June require sites "that report regularly on issues relating to Singapore and have significant reach" among local readers to apply for individual licenses, which will be subject to annual renewal.
These sites must post a "performance bond" of an estimated US$40,000 and remove any objectionable content within 24 hours of receiving a government order.

The requirements would be in addition to existing protocols for sites in Singapore that binds them to rules banning material deemed objectionable on grounds of morality, security, public interest and social harmony in the multiethnic island nation.
Among the sites with large audience including  Yahoo Singapore and seven news sites operated by  the city-state's largest publisher, which has close relations to the government; and two sites run by state-owned broadcaster MediaCorp.
 Concerns group called the move as "a new attempt to stifle Internet-based media that often are critical of Singapore's government",and the opposition party,  Singapore Democratic Party and National Solidarity Party stated the rules as "regressive" step that would impede the development of the local media industry.

A wealthy SEA country, Singapore which has been dominated by one political party for decades and ranked 153rd globally in terms of press freedom is home to one of the world's most wired-up and technologically savvy populations. About 85% of Singaporean households have access to broadband Internet, an increasingly important resource for news consumption.

Malaysia of course has not reached that wired-up and not even that close to be ranked technologically savvy yet, but the numbers are growing a steady growth, and Im predicting it will be more rapid after this general election as people pro-oppositions or not  are running away from mainstream media.
That's I can't say much because, honestly sometimes when Im back home, I will get sick reading and watching one sided news.
Was a journalist, and had during my tenure been called by editors couple of time when the event  I cover and the news I wrote deemed by those in 'the Office' a little bit 'heavier' to the other side, thus must amend or at least make it neutral-- yup, there ain't freedom of writing.

What Malaysia need is a more  relaxed governance, without being too ME ME ME. The ruling party must learn to give some space to the opposition in the mainstream news in order to gain trust but mainly to show that they are DEMOCRATIC and are willing to spare some 'freedom' for them to voice their whatnots. It will be more healthy than allowing all these opposition portals to start spreading their words and wings.
The reflection of the ruling party fault is seen in the recent GE13 results.
They must take heed of this and should start thinking smartly. Thus why Daim Zainuddin in his latest public statement indicated that Najib's advisors should all be sacked.

The everything about ME ME ME and only ME can give good government would not work for too long.
People are smarter and they have brain to think and a platform to vent thier frustrations whatnots. 

Nontheless, I will start wondering when will Malaysia take similar action in order to curb excessive and very detrimental writings on issues that can initiate provocations on the peace of  multi racial and religion of the country. Portals such as Malaysiakini  or MalaysiaToday which from my observation since the early days of its set up has been very free and sometimes the commentors can get overboards with their comments to the point of insulting the official religion of this country, and the Malay when it comes to Bumiputera privileges.
And I am hoping to see the death cybertroopers of web fanpage organised by some political-inclined  quarters that only spell racism, spreading lies and are good at spinning news.

Damn you facebook...

What have them at facebook done?....
Today I came across another news on the death of some people in the US.
They have created newborn killers, less passionate marriages because husband and wife will be talking less with each another and spending more time 'conversing' and communicating with friends on facebook.
Instead of mending kids and spending time after work, especially when both are working, they'll chuck their children in the hands of their maid and off they'll visit their friends pages and are more interested in knowing statuses and checking photos and whatnots than bonding with the family.

Just like how hand phone and PSP had taken over young children and teenagers.
Urggh...I so so despise looking at boys walking with their eyes on that play gadget.

While on this, I remember a story about one husband allegedly having that 'women's man' personality (or if that's what he believes), when he was caught having a gallavant time at the office party and taking pictures with pretty young colleagues in the range where weak and low-esteemed wife would call it a BAD thing to do.

He was tagged and the wife's friend saw the photos and you know what happened next.

Of course that was before those brilliant monsters at facebook alter and add some features considering 'privacy' is primary in this boundless world.

Just like chat room, it created rooms for cheating hearts, besides the actual rooms to chat. It all depends on the individual.

Nonetheless, not all a bad isn't it Mr Zuckerberg? ....There are some good to it too.

For example. A person like me. Whom had been jailed in this non-towering house and country.

I don't communicate with others except my 5 year old and 8 months daughters, and SO.

Besides that, maybe I'll be communicating with the Indian cashiers and helpers at the nearest mini market. If I ever bumped into some people I might know or those from the same country, I'll offer my 'hi how are you'  bla..bla..bla..a bit and that's about it. 

Indeed I will find facebook quite good in terms of allowing me to communicate with others besides the three souls at home. And you'll be surprised I communicated more with those in my home country and those who actually live here.!!

God.

How ironic would that be?

Facebook - Pot calling kettle black.

Zuckerberg: Google, Microsoft collect data “behind your back”


By Emil Protalinski
November 9, 2011, 12:00pm PST


Summary: In a recent interview, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg explained how Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft collect data on users “behind their back” while the social network is more transparent.



Last week, Facebook co-founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg as well as the company’s COO Sheryl Sandberg sat down with PBS broadcast journalist Charlie Rose. The interview aired earlier this week and contains many juicy details on a variety of topics.
One of the subject matters discussed was collecting data on users, which Facebook is frequently accused of. Zuckerberg explained how Google, Yahoo, and Microsoft are much worse at the practice than his company is:


Mark Zuckerberg: I mean, when you’re saying that we’re the light, it’s because, sure people have a lot of information on Facebook. But that’s information that they’ve put into the service.

Sheryl Sandberg: Exactly.

Mark Zuckerberg: If you look at companies, whether it’s Google or Yahoo or Microsoft, right, that have search engines and ad networks, they also have a huge amount of information about you. It’s just that they’re collecting that about you behind your back, really. And it’s like you’re going — you’re going around the Web, and they have cookies, and they’re collecting this huge amount of information about who you are. But you never know that. And I mean, some of these companies make an effort to give you a product where –

Charlie Rose: But do you find that a bit scary?


Mark Zuckerberg: Well, I just - I think it’s — it’s just less transparent –

Sheryl Sandberg: There’s no light.


Mark Zuckerberg: — than what’s happening on Facebook.


Sheryl Sandberg: It’s the dark.

Mark Zuckerberg: So on Facebook someone wants to –


Sheryl Sandberg: Contact.

Mark Zuckerberg: — target say, okay, I want to — I want to advertise — like I’m a band, and I’m to coming to the Bay Area, I’m going to advertise to people who like a band, and they’re going to — those people only fit if they’ve put in that they like that band.

Charlie Rose: Right.


Mark Zuckerberg: On those other services, you can still do that kind of advertising, but you’re going to find people based on what they’ve browsed around on the Web and the people have little or no control over the information that a company like Google or Yahoo or Microsoft has about you. And, I don’t know, I think that some of those companies have made an effort to give people to give a payage that they can go see all information that the company has about them. But, I mean, very few people are actually going to go do that. So in reality I think that these companies with big ad networks are basically getting away with collecting huge amounts of information, likely way more information than people are sharing on Facebook about themselves. But I think because people can see how much information people are sharing about themselves on Facebook –


Sheryl Sandberg: Yes.


Mark Zuckerberg: it appears scarier. But in reality, you have control over every single thing that you’ve shared on Facebook.

Zuckerberg is walking a fine line here. Criticizing Google is nothing new: the two companies are constantly at each other’s throats. The same cannot be said, however, for Yahoo and Microsoft.


Yahoo is more and more heavily relying on Facebook and has changed from downplaying the social network to leveraging it. Microsoft has a small stake in Facebook, and the two regularly work together. I’m not sure it’s wise to talk down these two, especially when the point is to explain why Facebook is superior.

*********************************************

So, trust no one?

Why oh why...

I love loads of things in life as much as I hate things and people that slows me down.
One additional thing that I hate living in this country is having to read whatever I googled in Arabic.

It annoys me greatly that my google pages are rendered in the langguage just because I happen to be here in the Gulf. Yup, I know there is translate bar on top of the page but heck, I don't understand why do they (those search engines people) just can't locate my prefered language and save the setting and remember my IP and I don't have to be bothered by the Arabic words on my face every now and then.

Agree.
Internet is global.
It's mission is making life easier for people, but that's not the case for me and thousands more of those who are non- Arabic living and conducting businesses in Arab countries. Basically, to me global means 'the usage or form of interaction uniformly understood by all, i.e. English'.

I do understand that the web companies are trying to be helpful to their users and localise their services but in this current era where people don't stay put in their origin countries and business travellers are everywhere everyday, these 'web masters' should think of some ways of localising than just automatically giving people (like moi) some Arabic pages based on my IP address.

I remember having it set to my preferred language and it was okay sometime last year, but it happens again and I'm feeling of being forced to use another language settings than my preferred one just because I'm living here.

Interesting part is; this never happens in my home country Malaysia.
Could it be because Malaysia is a multiracial and English is the second language.
Maybe also Bahasa Melayu, the formal language of the country is actually not formal when it comes to internet. Perhaps.

They should just allow their users the 'freedom' of selecting and opening the site and see language that the users familiar with instead of trying to 'be nice' and selecting the language as per the IP address.

Hmmmmm.......

Contrite Facebook CEO promises new privacy controls - Yahoo! News

Better be since now people are getting more and more smarter especially in using other people's personality and character...what more with photos.

Unwillingly naked!

My husband asked me yesterday, until when do I think the facebook-ing thing will go on...and I automatically answered 'perhaps another two more years and it'll slowly fade off..."

Of course, I do not speak on behalf of you or millions of its excited users, but looking at it and considering some other aspect plus taking human interest in it, I feel the pulse of facebook users (those more than two years, i.e) are beating slower compare to the mid of facebook craze in 2008 ~ for me i.e.

One thing for sure, I found myself and people likeminds getting some sort of tiresome feeling with the platform, even more notably when it comes to lots of changes every now and then.
Earlier during it's craze changes had been done from simple layout to 'eye-confusing' one where all details were stuffed into one page. It was done twice or three time if I'm not mistaken.

But my concern and what is more important is the terms and conditions aspect of it ~ the privacy, applications and other related websites matters per se.

Today, I saw a friend's message mentioning about yet another new thing brought forward by facebook to its users that would enable certain information made public on another shared platform. It is called "Instant Personalization" where it enables the sharing of data with non-Facebook websites and it is automatically set to allow.

Now, one important thing for us to remember is, when we subscribe to all these Internet platforms, most of us just do not bothered to read the terms and conditions when signing up ~ Im one of those lot.
See, when most of internet based platform make their billions of dollars by getting it multiply via ordinary people like us, we unwittingly allow certain infos about us and our friends to be used publicly in other word; assisting it to work.

It is a MLM of internet social networking.

And it does work ain't it? Wonders don't you think so when it comes to suggesting friends?
Now, don't some of you just get a little hyped up (good or bad) when being suggested or 'found' by someone you've not been in contact for more than 20 years?
Don't that kind of euphoric feeling travels in your system during those time newly subscribing to the platform.... but after a while it fade off ?

No denying.

I had that sorta feeling too, but as time goes by and after having funtime socialising among the community, it struck my head that some of my personal things are being made available to the public, if not from my own doing, it'll be via some friends' wall etc.

Of course, again, I'm reiterating that this is my own personal opinion and I do not speak on behalf of anyone, especially those teenage kids (girls especially) who doesn't know nuts about privacy and all they know is make available and posting sexy provocative pictures ( some adult ladies does that too, in order to get friends...male friends or future partner to be exact).

Basically, I feel that although we restrict our data to ONLY our friends (unless otherwise), but as technology grows, we users need to be more Internet-educated in order to secure our privacy from personality thieves and not be stripped naked to the public unwillingly....

Teenage entrepreneurs.

"Here is one indicator of the allure of Silicon Valley's entrepreneurial culture: Diane Keng just launched her third start-up -- and she is still in high school.

In March, the 18-year-old launched Internet company MyWeboo.com to help teens manage their digital lives and social-network identities in one place. She is now pitching the company to venture capitalists, and earlier this week presented at the Web 2.0 Expo in San Francisco......"....read more.

**********************************

This is what I call a well-taken opportunity, 'properly- used' brain and of course, not forgetting Mr Luck. Those three play quite an important role in anyone life in pursuing their intentions to gain betterment in life.

I remember going to a friend's office in Shah Alam Malaysia. It was an American company, Hunter Douglas which niche business in architectural products, window coverings and home improvement ~ i remember reading the glass wall about the company's vision and mission besides the late founder's indication to success.
It was stated that 20% of luck plays a part in getting where you wanna get to in life.
(hmmmm....tell that to those who doesn't believe in one. And 20% is quite a percentage)

Nevertheless, in this young girl's case, it is also the assistance she acquired from the father who is a VC...and that my friend, can bring you any type of business you want to venture, because without, things might not be as flowery as it is, I guess....:)

A winner again?

RE:YOUR PAYMENT NOTIFICATION

DIRECTOR FRAUD VICTIMS/Stop Contacting Those People They Are Non Officials
RE=PAYMENT COMPENSATION OF /USD $1.2,000,000
REF/PAYMENT CODE: /UN/US/FGN/EU, /$1.2,000,000
Directors Name: GEORGE PUN
Companys Name: CITY SPRING SAFE HANDLERS
WORLD COURIER COMPANY
Direct Hotline:+234-70363-587-81

ATTENTION: SIR/MADAM,

RE: UNITED NATIONS/NIGERIAN GOVERNMENT/AMERICAN GOVERNMENT/THE EUROPEAN UNION 2000/2009 FRAUD VICTIMS COMPENSATIONS PAYMENTS.

Records show that you are among one of the individuals and organizations who are yet to receive their overdue payment from overseas which includes those of Lottery/Gambling, Contract and Inheritance. Through our Fraud Monitory Unit we have also noticed that over the past you have been transacting with some imposters and fraudsters who have been impersonating the likes of Prof. Soludo of the Central Bank Of Nigeria, Mr. Patrick Aziza, Frank, Anderson, none officials of Oceanic Bank, Zenith Banks, Kelvin Young of HSBC, Ben of FedEx, Ibrahim Sule, Dr. Usman Shamsuddeen and some imposters claiming to be The Federal Bureau of Investigation.IMF

The Cyber Crime Division of the IMF gathered information from the Internet Crime Complaint Center (ICCC) formerly known as the Internet Fraud Complaint Center (IFCC) of how some people have lost outrageous sums of money to these imposters. As a result of this we hereby advise you to stop communication with any one not referred to you by us

We have negotiated with the Federal Ministry of Finance that your payment totaling $$1.2,000,000 be released to you via a custom pin based ATM card with a maximum withdrawal limit of $5,000 a day which is powered by Visa Card and can be used anywhere in the world were you see a Visa Card Logo on the Automatic Teller Machine (ATM). We have advised that this should be the only way at which you are to receive your payment because it’s more guaranteed, since over $5 billion was lost on fake check year 2008.

Secondly, you are hereby advice to stop dealing with some non-officials in the bank and also couriers as this is an illegal act and will have to stop if you so wish to receive your payment immediately. After the board meeting held at our headquarters, we have resolved in finding a solution to your problem, and as you may know, we have arranged your payment through our SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTRE in Europe, America and Asia Pacific Amsterdam, which is then instruction given by our president, Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar Adua (GCFR) Federal Republic of Nigeria.

We guarantee 100% receipt of your payment, because we have perfected everything in regards to the release of your $$1.2,000,000 States Dollars to be 100% risk free and free from any hitches as it’s our duty to protect citizens of the United States of America And also Other Countries. (This is as a result of the mandate from US Government to make sure all debts owed to citizens of American which includes Inheritance, Contract, Gambling/Lottery etc are been cleared for the betterment of the current economic status of the nation and its citizens as he bas always believed “Our Time for Change has come” because “Change can happen”).

Below are few list of tracking numbers you can track from CITY SPRING SAFE HANDLERS COURIER COMPANY website to confirm people like you who have received their payment successfully.

Name : Donna L. Vargas: UPS Tracking Number: 147893 (http://www.cityspringsh.com)
Name : Rovenda Elaine Clayton: UPS Tracking Number: 2349012 (http://www.cityspringsh.com)

This card centre will send you an ATM CARD which you will use to withdraw your money in an ATM MACHINE in any part of the world, but the maximum is ($15,000.00) Five Thousand Us Dollars per transaction. So, if you like to receive your fund this way, $15,000 usd for you to withdraw for a day and each transaction is $ 5,000 usd minimum which you have to withdraw $1.2,000 usd for one working day also be informed that the total amount in the SWIFT ATM CARD is $$1.2,000,000 Million United State of America Dollars.

(1)Your Full Name:
(2)Your Address where you want the payment centre to send your ATM CARD.:
(3)Phone and Fax Number
(4)Age:
(5)Occupation:
(6)Your Nearest International Air Port in your City of residence:
(7)Company Name:

We shall be expecting to receive your information’s from you to verify and commence delivery of your awarded ATM card, you have stop any further communication with anybody or office. On this regards, do not hesitate to contact me for more details and direction, and also please do update me with any new development.

Thanks for your co-operation.

Best Regards,

Directors Name: GEORGE PUN
Companys Name: CITY SPRING SAFE HANDLERS
WORLD COURIER COMPANY
Direct Hotline:+234-70363-587-81

Note: Disregard any email you get from any impostors or offices claiming to be in possession of your ATM card, you are hereby advice only to be in contact with MR GEORGE PUN) of the ATM card center who is the rightful person to deal with in regards to your payment and forward any emails you get from impostors to this office via the above fax number so we could act upon it immediately. Help stop cyber crime.

************************************

Another email notification for my supposedly unclaimed winnings...
Besides reporting as spam, there's nothing else I can do to be 'delisted' fro receiving such idiotic notifications.

I guess, they'd try ways and means to get into someone's pocket...those who will be stupid enough to believe these idiots i.e.

Best part is, it ended with 'Help stop cyber crime'....hahahaha. I really hope they'd use some smarter way in conning people.

Some money making industry....

Say What? Yes, You Heard Right – Zynga Could Be Worth $5 Billion
By Mathew Ingram

Zynga, the leading social gaming company behind Facebook hits such as Farmville and Mafia Wars, would likely be worth as much as $5 billion if it were publicly traded instead of privately held, according to SecondShares.com, a group of former equity analysts who spend their time researching the value of private online companies such as Zynga, Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
SecondShares based its estimate of Zynga’s value on the number of outstanding shares, estimated revenue per user, growth rate and other metrics, and projected that by 2015 the game maker could have a theoretical market value as high as $10 billion.

Given the pent-up demand that such private companies represent, there’s a lot of interest in valuing them — since there is a chance they could go public someday — and also in trading their shares through secondary markets, although Facebook recently barred its employees from selling their stock through such vehicles.

The authors of the Zynga report — former Merrill Lynch and Goldman Sachs equity analyst Lou Kerner, former Sanford Bernstein research analyst Eli Halliwell and Gamers Media CEO Jay Gould — say Zynga is the leader in the social gaming market with 237 million monthly active users and six of the top seven social games.

That gives the company more than four times as many monthly active users as Playfish, which was recently bought by Electronic Arts for $400 million. China’s Tencent Holdings is the only online game company that is larger than Zynga, the report says, with 400 million monthly active users.

Based on an estimate of what Zynga likely makes in revenue from the average user, Second Shares projects that the company will pull in about $500 million in revenue this year, and could be making as much as $1.6 billion per year in five years.
The analysts say that shares of the company are currently trading in private, illiquid markets at about $9 a share, but would likely be worth almost twice as much if Zynga were to go public, and that Zynga has a number of strengths that justify a premium valuation, including the fact that it can cross-market games to users of other Zynga games, and that it’s quickly able to duplicate other successful games that competitors come up with. From the report:

As with Facebook, Twitter, and other high profile private companies, you can buy Zynga shares in the (illiquid) private market, where about $6 million worth of shares traded hands last year through marketplaces like SecondMarket.com. Only accredited investors are allowed to participate. Currently, the ask price is about $9/share, implying a market cap for Zynga of $2.8 billion. Toward the end of its research report, however, Second Shares mentions a number of potential risks for Zynga and its valuation, including:

Farmville currently accounts for an estimated 50 percent of the company’s revenue, and “appears to have peaked in terms of popularity.”
Facebook blocked applications from providing notifications in newsfeeds last month, removing “a major source of free advertising.”
Four of Zynga’s six major game hits “appear to have peaked or to be in decline.”
Zynga is dependent on Facebook, and growth at the social network could slow, or the network could harm Zynga somehow.

Online gaming is a risky, hit-driven business, and there are a lot of competitors.
In February, a research firm called Next Up estimated that Zynga was worth as much as $3 billion, in a report it did for private share-trading site SharesPost.com, where Zynga is currently valued at $2.6 billion. Russian investment firm Digital Sky Technologies invested $180 million in Zynga in December.

In November, an analyst at Pacific Crest Securities said Zynga could be worth as much as $1 billion, given the $400 million that Electronic Arts paid for Playfish. At that point, Inside Social Games estimated that Zynga would have revenue of $210 million for 2009 and $355 million this year, and a statement from the company said that 1 million of its 200 million active monthly users were buying virtual goods.

DEAR BENEFICIARY
Thursday, March 18, 2010 9:54 AM
From: "OUR REF: FGN /SNT/STBYOUR REF.".com
OUR REF: FGN /SNT/STBYOUR REF.

DEAR BENEFICIARY:

THIS IS TO OFFICIALLY INFORM YOU THAT WE HAVE VERIFIED YOUR FILE AND IN
RESPECT OF YOUR INHERITANCE FUND RECOVERED BY THE CENTRAL BANK FROM THE DEPOSITED BANK.AFTER THE CENTRAL BANK AUDIT THIS ECONOMIC YEAR A TOTAL PART PAYMENT OF 850.000.00, USD HAS BEEN APPROVED TO BE PAID TO YOUR FAMILY.

RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ARRANGED YOUR PAYMENT THROUGH OUR SWIFT CARD PAYMENT CENTER ASIA PACIFIC THAT IS THE LATEST INSTRUCTION FROM MR.PRESIDENT,UMARU YAR'ADUA (GCFR) FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA AND THE FBI.THIS CARD CENTER WILL SEND YOU AN ATM CARD WHICH YOU WILL USE TO WITHDRAW YOUR MONEY IN ANY ATM MACHINE IN ANY PART OF THE WORLD, BUT THE MAXIMUM IS $5000 USD PER DAY, SO IF YOU LIKE TO RECEIVE YOUR FUND THIS WAY PLEASE LET US KNOW BY CONTACTING THE INTERNATIONAL REMITTANCE DEPARTMENT CARD PAYMENT CENTER.

SEND THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION DIRECTLY TO THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE

Mr.TUNDE ADAMU
E-mail:atmclearancedept@admin.in.th

Phone +234-8073666822
1. YOUR FULL NAME:
2. PHONE AND FAX NUMBER:
3. ADDRESS WERE YOU WANT THEM TO SEND THE ATM CARD:
4. YOUR AGE AND CURRENT OCCUPATION:

KINDEST REGARDS,
ALHAJI MANSUR MUHTAR
HONORABLE MINISTER OF FINANCE.

****************************************

Another stupid email of me being beneficiary of some dork in the African continent.

Just like some of the stupid and dumb ladies here where I live, these idiots, doesn't know that people, i.e. me, can see the list of names of all the beneficiaries they spammed the above email to. How silly when you thought you're smart but you're actually not!

Perhaps they thought people are all a blockhead as they are.
This time I realised their modus operandi is shooting to all yahoo email subscribers with name started from 'sha....'.
How uninteresting... similar to listening to same old bags spurting stories about other people again and again and to all dumbheads who'd lend their heart and ears listening to rotten mouths.

Too bad ....:-)

facebook...again.

It is actually getting more and more yukky to browse thru younglings in facebook participating in quizzes about getting married and kid's name and all those lovey dovey thingy.


In the first place, if I am not mistaken, facebook is targeted to those in the 20s and getting hugely used by those in their 30s especially when at this age, we are all more settled in our carrier and started looking back at those time in school and wanting to reconnect with those that use to hang out at our dorm or sharing fags together in our hostel rooms.


In my personal opinion, facebook is not suitable to those below 17 although the minimum age requirement is 13 years of age.

I guess parents who allowed their youngsters to use this internet platform must keep abreast with their on-goings just to ensure nothing unhealthy will be resulted from overly too exposed, especially to the part relationships.

Internet...

An email received today indicates:

Congratulations
Monday, March 8, 2010 2:21 PM
From: "Microsoft Award Team 2010"

To: undisclosed-recipients

Congratulations, you just won £500,000 in the ongoing 2010 Microsoft/satellite
software Online Email Lottery with Batch: 12/25/0340 and Winning
number...YOM09788,organized for all email users,requested info:Name: address:
phone Number: Country:occupation:Age.Claims Contact Details Below

Claims Agent:Mr. Harrison Martins,
E-mail:msw-department_martins@w.cn
Phone:+44 703 597 2456


The above is an email I received in my mailbox today.
I first received such email sometime like five years ago, which, had at that time, managed to make me excited and in the state of euphoria. I replied to the sender....and I guess you'd know what came after that and so on and so forth.

Perhaps some senses took over my euphoric mode, I smelled rottens. I did some evaluations on the amount of money that they offered, besides checking the web for such 'contest' or 'draw', I waited for the responding email and, viola, it came out just as what the fraud to-do list indicates.

From then on, any similar email received, I'd either deleted it or reply back to sender with some nasty curse or words to indicate that I am not idiot and hoping that they'll delete my email from their 'prospects' list.

I read of some who'd fallen for such scam.
And the best thing of all, all these schemers got away scott free. Lest it is not easy to detect them, thanks to the technology ruling the Internet and changing on a daily basis.

I remember one that i had received along the way, of these opportunists using the Microsoft and AOL together. And the first thing that came to my mind was, since when these two giants works together running some sort of Internet-based test together?

Adding on to it, we will notice their mail address per se.

Which reputable companies will allow their staff to use an email address other than the official work email address?


And we must be lucky to received all sort of winning notifications several times a month, wouldn't we?

Who need friends....when we have internet?

Who need friends when we have internet? Or better, when we have internet friends, who needs a physical one......




Unless, of course you lived all alone or with your pet cat or dog. Besides that, i guess your time will definitely be well-filled with all human-related activities such as going to work; which will account roughly nine to 10 hours per day including driving back home( well unless you're one unproductive guy who doesn't know how to managed the given eight hours per day for work by going around carrying your empty coffee cup to blabber or catching up with the latest gossip from one room to another in the department). The remaining time would be segregated to some bonding time with the family and perhaps catching up with the news and reading.




Or perhaps, you just a housewife, with all those loads of house chores and cooking and running all around the house doing literally almost the same thing as yesterday. The remaining hours shall be donated to your kids and little or nothing at all for your own self. You will definitely find time to launch the internet when the kids are not at your back.




And perhaps for the luckier ones; the lady of leisure-- who'd wake up after 8am having coffee and orange juice and a slice of toast waiting for you and later just get going to the family lounge for an hour Pilate or running on the treadmill while watching some interesting soap or news. And perhaps finishing some paperwork for your NGO work and going thru documents for some companies that you're an appointed director. That will take up till lunch and when the kids comes home, as a good mother, you'd be mingling with them besides going thru some school work and entertaining their whims and fancies.



With all sort of lifestyles, time had been too constrained for most people thus making time to spend mingling and touching base with families and friends became shorter and shorter and to the extend of non-existence at all.

That is where, social networking platform such as twitter, facebook, Yahoo Messenger and other internet based communication take place...


And i believe, keeping in touch with people via the internet (besides occasional text messaging) is much easier too....one thing for sure-- you don't have to hassle yourself putting on some presentable outfit, or a lipstick. You can just sit at one corner of your lounge with your lappy and start punching the keyboard and have a conversation, while running to the kitchen to fix another cup of coffee, or munch some snacks and have a conversation with more than two person at one go. Viola!

Isn't it interesting at all?


Yes to people who know how to appreciate 24hrs in life, and No to people who'd find it more exhilarating, real bonding, blood-trenching, bodily exciting to have to meet with other people (besides during office hours, of course) every 48hrs of their life.


My being intolerant towards the ever flourishing pretentiousness and talking rots might be my only reason to having championed internet-based communication. Having to deal with many type of character and individuals with certain unlikeable habits, it is much better to keep relationship via the internet. Maybe some would look at the way i think as a total self-centred person, or some whom would labeled people with similar character as snobbish -- but having to deal with unpolished and close-minded character can be a tad bit too much for me honestly.....Not when life is catching up and hair is turning gray.


Perhaps due to being a person who don't really like people per se, and keeping in contact with only those selected few -- i have enjoyed being with myself, and still is to date- hopefully till i die. I have been loving almost everything about myself despite my little flaws here and there, and experience how the product of being strong mentally, cultivated since a tender age, will definitely have some benefits later in life. Of course reality-check should never be secondary unless you want to walk out of the house with a full blown-out head and be irritatingly opinionated -- Internet based communication would be my means of communication with friends and families.


I had been in contact with my girlfriend whom i had not been meeting for the past 14 years. Yes, to some point there aren't any conversation or interaction at all, but exchanging emails both informative and comedic once a while, is fine enough for us and we can still chat like we were fourteen years back .


Currently doing some research and reading on internet communication -- the effect of it to individual, society and it's blackspot, I'm hoping to get where I'm aiming for via this world wide web.


Happy internet-ing!

blogspot....

I wonder when this para spacing problem will be looked into by those people at blogspot...it's irritatingly annoying having to write in paragraph but appears non-para at all.

Monotonous.

Que Sera Sera....

Internet users upset over Govt’s filter attempt
By JO TIMBUONG

PETALING JAYA: Online and wire agency reports that the Government is mulling an Internet filtering system similar to China’s controversial “Green Dam” project has got the local online community in a huff, while technology experts questioned the viability of the project.

Online portals and wire agencies reported earlier Thursday that the Government has called for a tender for a system that could block “undesirable websites.”

Information, Communication and Culture Minister Rais Yatim, whose ministry issued the tender, also plans to secure direct control over the content and monitoring division of Malaysia’s Internet regulator, Reuters quoted a source as saying.

Rais himself said last month that he would introduce measures to “control the bad” elements on the Internet.

Neither Rais, nor any of the government bodies related to technology, were available for comment at press time.

China’s Green Dam project sought to install software filters on all computers sold in the country to block pornography and “other harmful content,” but has been put on the backburner because of technical issues and a rising tide of protest from civil society in and outside China.

The Association of the Computer and Multimedia Industry of Malaysia (Pikom) was disappointed with what it said was the Malaysian Government’s attempt to censor the Internet.

“It has gone against its word to ensure the medium remains open and uncensored,” Pikom chairman David Wong said.

The MSC Malaysia Bill of Guarantees specifies that the Internet will not be censored to ensure the success of the MSC Malaysia initiative, he noted.

“It will also be difficult to filter ‘harmful content,’ especially that found in blogs, on the Internet as it knows no boundaries,” he said.

Wong said Internet users did not share their thoughts only on blogs, but also through social network sites such as Facebook, Twitter and MySpace, as well as chatrooms and forums.

He said a better and more viable measure would be to educate the public on the consquences of spreading harmful or irresponsible content.

Technology advocate Dinesh Nair said the Government’s efforts might just be in vain.

“They can try to filter the Internet but it won’t work,” he said.

He also believed that if the main reason was to block “undesirable content,” the Government would be better off using the educational approach.

If the Government were to block one “harmful site,” another would just pop up in its place, he added.

Internet users, he said, view online censorship as damaging and will always find ways to circumvent any such barrier.

“It’s better to educate the rakyat (people) to be proactive and identify these sites and exercise good Internet surfing habits, rather than censoring the Internet,” he said.

Artist and new media advocate Muid Latif said Internet censorship would only contribute to the negative growth of the Malaysian information and communications technology sector, especially in the area of creative content.

“This ridiculous restriction will reflect badly on Malaysia and potential investors will think twice about making an investment here,” he said.

Many in the Government have blamed the vibrant and critical Internet culture for Barisan Nasional’s losses in the 12th General Election in March last year, and there has been pressure from some quarters to muzzle the medium.

The Government had previously considered registering bloggers, many of whom are critical of the ruling coalition.


************************************************

No comment.
Je ne sais pas pourquoi!

Facebook Part III--Facebook friends sought.

Family support: Saifuddin launching his first e-book titled ‘Kalau Saya Mahasiswa’ in Kuala Lumpur yesterday. Looking on is his wife Datin Norlin Shamsul Bahri and 15-yearold daughter Nur Madihah Saifuddin.


KUALA LUMPUR: Deputy Higher Education Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah, who initially had 999 Facebook friends, now boasts of 2,800 buddies after 100 days on the job. His target is to hit 5,000 by the end of the year.

“Youths prefer to express themselves freely without barriers,” he told a press conference here yesterday.

Through his observations and interactions with them on Facebook, he said that tertiary students were interested in politics but preferred not to be loyal to any particular party.

“They want to voice out their opinions and ideas through new media like Facebook,” he added.

Student Ainur Syahrizal, 26, who is one of Saifuddin’s Facebook buddies, said he could know more about his work by interacting with him online.

“I can also share my opinions with other students and learn new things,” he said.

Another student Nur Aliaa Mat Jusoh, 21, held similar views.

“By interacting with him, I realise that he is trying to catch up on how the youths are progressing and to highlight the voice of the Malaysian youths,” she said.

Michael Teoh, 22, who is another of his buddies, said Facebook was an effective platform without any borders.

“Some of us have stereotyped politicians as people who cannot be reached. But through this kind of online interaction, a new era is here,” he added.

******************************

Hmmmmm.......targeting 5,000 friends in facebook....and it's a Deputy Minister of a 'Higher Education'.....something must be wrong here.

All this while, i have been calling idiots to people who have hundreds of people who are not their friends in their friends list -- but when a Deputy Minister himself is doing so, whatmore with thousands of 'friends'....perhaps i am the idiot instead?

But what is his agenda....I mean hidden agenda?....He's a politician mind you!