My girlfriend just moved in with me!

I know it’s a big step to be taking in the relationship – one of the major milestones. However, I feel that the time has come. A lot of people have told me it’s too early to be doing this but I’m not the type to let tradition or “relationship rules” dictate what I do.

…so I just went and did it.

I asked her to move in with me. :)

Well, for those of you who’ve been to my studio apartment, you’ll know that it’s a bit of a pigsty. Irene famously said that it can sustain its own ecosystem and probably has created new forms of life in its time. She’s seen my pad in Kuching and while the one in KL isn’t as bad as that, it’s still pretty nasty.

I managed to get two cleaners to come for 4 hours and an electrician to fix all the lights. There is only one light in the kitchen, the rest of my place has bulbs that have shorted out. Yes, I am living in darkness (in more ways than one).

I had to help the two cleaners do their work coz 4 hours wasn’t enough to clean my studio…which is just a little over 500 sq ft, so you can imagine the kind of messiness (understatement of the decade) that we’re talking about.

Two cleaners for 4 hours: RM 100
Cleaning accessories: RM 142.65
Replacing the 9 lights in my condo that has shorted out: RM 205
Getting groceries so the fridge and pantry will be stocked: RM 182.50
Living with my girlfriend: Priceless

I’m really happy to be taking the relationship into a whole new level.

I don’t know how things would go from here but what I do know for sure is that I’m fixing everything that’s wrong in my life for the one thing that is right. :)

Link to full article

Anwar: Mantapkan tadbir urus untuk jana pertumbuhan

Keadilankini

ISLAMABAD, 29 Feb: Ketua Pembangkang, Anwar Ibrahim berkata selain dari mengecam kapitalisme, negara-negara Islam sewajarnya menumpukan usaha memantapkan sistem tadbir urus negara yang merupakan faktor penting untuk menjana pertumbuhan.
 
Bercakap sebagai pembicara utama di Conference on ‘Islamic Business (ICIB- 2012) on Management Shariah Conforming Business: Prospects, Practices and personnel’ di sini semalam, beliau menegaskan sewaktu menjawat jawatan Menteri Kewangan, bantuan dana telah disalurkan kepada bank-bank Islam untuk menyokong sistem perbankan Islam di Malaysia.
 
“Namun kini selepas satu dekad, kita perlu mengkaji semula mengapa bank-bank lain mencatat prestasi lebih baik berbanding bank-bank Islam,” tegas beliau.
 
Selain Anwar, antara tokoh yang turut menyampaikan ucapan adalah Prof. Khurshid Ahmad dari Institut Kajian Dasar Islamabad, Dr. Abdelkader Chachi, ahli ekonomi dari Arab Saudi dan juga Naib Canselor Universiti Antarabangsa Riphah, Prof. Dr. Anis Ahmad.
 
Persidangan tersebut turut dihadiri oleh beberapa tokoh perniagaan Islam dan sarjana kewangan dan ekonomi dari seluruh dunia.
 

Link to full article

Rinspeed Dock+Go – enter the backpack on wheels

Something a little different then. Swiss company Rinspeed will be showcasing its newest concept called Dock+Go at the Geneva show next week. Designed by Frank Rinderknecht and built by Peter Kägi and his company 4erC, the concept is actually a tag-on item, essentially an easy-to-dock, single-axle backpack on wheels.

The third on-demand axle pack is modular, so it’s a matter of strapping it on for extended carrying capacity, without creating unnecessary space nor superfluous weight when it’s not needed. For demonstration purposes, the company has selected a smart fortwo as the tango partner.

Different “packs” can turn fortwo into something far more capacious – for instance, a pack can turn the car into a pizza delivery vehicle, complete with a built-in isothermal box. Or it’ll allow winter sports enthusiasts to comfortably stow their gear. In Geneva, Rinspeed is due to show a rolling “sound pack,” which multimedia and infotainment specialist Harman has filled with the latest high-end sound solutions in order to guarantee a first class acoustical experience.

The Dock+Go pack is finished in a silver outer skin from AkzoNobel, with a finish that resembles sparkling ice crystals, and for wheels it wears 7.5-inch AEZ wheels wrapped with 205/40 series low-rolling-resistance Goodyear donuts. Other features to be found on the unit include a PTC heater from Eberspaecher catem (to keep things warm) and a Lumitec EL (electroluminescent) lighting system on the side panels.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Wed, 29 Feb 12 10:01:15 +0000.

Link to full article

Modenas launching new bike, brand ambassador tomorrow

National motorcycle company Modenas is launching a new bike tomorrow, as hinted by teasers released on its Facebook page. With the headline Pencetus Evolusi, the teasers show parts of the new kapcai (it could also be a scooter) such as the tail, nose and graphics.

The DRB-Hicom owned company will also unveil its first ever brand ambassador – who do you think he might be?

The Pencetus Evolusi teasers hints at an underbone that’s higher up in the food chain than Modenas’ previous launch, the affordable RM2,948 100cc KRISS MR1. The brand also launched the CTric electric bike last year. Anyone here with any experience with the rechargeable bike?

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Wed, 29 Feb 12 10:01:15 +0000.

Link to full article

Honda Insight facelift arrives – 1.3L variant, RM99,800

Honda Malaysia has introduced the facelifted Insight hybrid, in its 1.3 litre form. Aside from some external revisions, the facelift – which made its debut in Frankfurt last year – promises to deliver better fuel economy along with a string of other refinements.

Kicking things off are new front and rear bumpers, and the headlights now wear a tint of blue highlight. Additionally, the new grille design features a blue reflector underneath. The tailgate spoiler has also been slimmed, and together with a modified tail gate garnish and a reduction in the size of the wiper motor unit, results in overall increased rear visibility.

Appearance aside, the aerodynamics of the car have also been improved, reducing the running resistance and thus resulting in better fuel economy. The 1.3 litre IMA system – with 88 PS and 121 Nm from the engine and 14 PS and 78 Nm from the motor – gets some powertrain efficiency improvements.

Revisions to the CVT and mill, the latter in the form of reduced engine friction, as well as alterations to the air conditioning system, all do their bit to contribute to lower fuel consumption.

The Insight also features a quieter ride, with the inclusion of added noise insulation materials for better NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) performance. Meanwhile, the seats are now upholstered with a new fabric, and rear passengers now enjoy an extra head clearance of 15mm, following adjustments to the shape of the roof lining and the hip point of the rear seats.

There’s Hill Start Assist (HSA) and VSA on this one, and the wave key has been changed to a more compact jack-knife version. Four exterior colours abound, and these are Platinum Aqua Metallic, Premium White Pearl, Crystal Black Pearl and Alabaster Silver Metallic.

The facelifted Insight goes for RM99,800 (on-the-road), and comes with a five-year or 140,000 km warranty on the IMA battery. The best part is that you don’t have to wait long for one, if you’ve been eyeing it – fully aware of the current demand of the new Insight, Honda Malaysia says the waiting period for an Insight is now less than two weeks.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Wed, 29 Feb 12 08:56:02 +0000.

Link to full article

GALLERY: MINI John Cooper Works Countryman

Earlier today, we showed you the MINI John Cooper Works Countryman, the hot JCW performance flagship for the Countryman, a.k.a. Maxi Mini. It’s the sixth JCW MINI and the first with all wheel drive. To debut in Geneva, the hot Countryman is also the first JCW variant to also offer a six-speed automatic gearbox as an option.

Under that red striped hood is a 1.6-litre twin-scroll turbocharged Prince engine making 218 hp and 280 Nm (300 Nm in overboost). It’s good enough to take the car to 100 km/h in seven seconds flat, before topping out at 225 km/h (223 km/h for the automatic version).

Here’s a high res gallery that shows all the JCW goodies, in and out. The Countryman is sold in Malaysia in both Cooper and Cooper S ALL4 form. Click here for the launch report and here for our test drive report.

© 2012 Paul Tan's Automotive News. All Rights Reserved.

This story originally appeared on Paul Tan's Automotive News on Wed, 29 Feb 12 08:34:28 +0000.

Link to full article