BUDGET 2012

What is everyone's opinion on the budget? Going by what the mainstream is saying, it looks like a very good budget, however, I beg to differ.

I am sure all those civil servants and felda settlers will be very happy as they rightfully should be given that this budget gave them full focus. The following would be some of the reasons for my saying that the budget is "crap".

Now I am a middle income, or should l say lower middle income earner. I work hard and earn an honest living, diligently paying "TAXES", why, so someone else can enjoy the benefits!!!!!, while I just sit back relax and pay more TAXES.

The policies thought out by the Government is really nice, first we tax the middle class because they are not much they can do since most of them are workers, we give incentives to the rich because most of them are businessman and heck they can give us problems with their lawyers and what nots, we help the poor because if they get angry, they can cause havoc with protest or looting. Anyway, we need the rich to help us with our campaign come election and the majority poor to vote for us if we are to win (given the majority falls under the poor category of more than 60 percent of the population).

DIY

How many of you have tried your hand with DIY? I am sure many of you would like to try but think twice when you realise that things may not turn out the way you planned. I can personally vouch for this, because I have embarked on quite a few DIY and although I manage to fix the thingy it didn't turn out as good as I had planned.

Additional things that may deter many from DIY would be the mess that may happen or mistakes that may cause the supposed cheap fix-it to become even more expensive.

Anyhow, yesterday I had finally decided to buy a tap and a piece of aluminium piping from a hardware store to replace the one that had been damaged in my house. It had been damaged for quite some time now and it was a hassle to have to use the kitchen sink whenever hands needed to be washed. I had earlier on bought a tap but did not do my homework and when I tried to fix it on, found that the piping was not long enough to fit the tap. Well I guess this is cost savings for the developer using the shortest piping possible and getting taps that have extraordinarily long screw fittings. Disappointed, and almost having a leaky piping due to my not being able to get the original tap securely back on, I gave up.

Now however, I had both the tools ready and after some 8 minutes managed to replace the two items successfully without any problems. What I am trying to say here is DIY may seem hard in the beginning but after some time you may find it to be very interesting and as a bonus it feels good to use something that you have fixed yourself.

NOSY & TROUBLESOME NEIGHBOURS

How are your neighbours? Are they nice, friendly, etc? Well, here is my definition of a good neighbour. This guy should mind his own business, be considerate about the level of noise he is making, park his own car and also his visitors car in his own compound, and basically don't try to be an event organiser by always opening parties.

I have met plenty of neighbours but I dare say none are good or have the quality that I had mentioned above. Just recently I had a quarrel with one of these fools. I personally do not like people parking their cars in front of my house, be it the gate or the wall / fencing near my gate (unless of course I am living in a huge bungalow where my fencing stretches hundreds of feet. To this end I had decided to placed some rocks along my fence area (near my gate) thus preventing or making it difficult for anyone to try to park there (you may call it selfish and thats ok, because it your opinion, but to me I did not pay money to buy a house so that you can park your stupid car there. If you can't afford to buy a house large enough for your cars then I suggest you don't have so much cars, its plain and simple).

You know what this fool did. He instructed the security guard to throw my rocks away. The nerve of this idiot. I was rather pissed off and immediately asked the security what he was trying to do. I then gave him a piece of my mind by asking him, "you mean to tell me I don't pay you fees and he does?" (for you readers info, I am always the first, or one of the  first ones that the security approaches for fees because he knows I am a prompt payer unlike the idiot.

Next I scolded the idiot who replied that he was doing society a favour because my rocks were in the middle of the road (just so you know, the rocks measured less that 1.5 feet and it is placed just after the road shoulder. If you call that middle of the road, then all cars parked would by his definition be on the middle of the road because even the smallest car has a width of about 5.5 feet).

I went on to ask him to mind his own business, and that I dont like people coming there to park, and he replied that the place was not mine to usurp. He further added that I was very inconsiderate. I shouted back, "If I'm inconsiderate then you must be 100Xs more". For your information, this idiot likes to organise parties and does so quite frequently. His visitors will come and park their car on my side of the empty space between houses which was actually meant for walking from one block to another. He on the other hand had planted his side with trees, so no one can park any cars there, including himself or his visitors. Furthermore, he also likes to invite his friends to come to his house for late nights drinking sessions. Only problem is, he does it outside his house where he had placed tables and some seats ala mamak style. Can you imagine having a mamak stall just opposite your house, would you like it when you are trying to get some sleep?

You be the judge who is considerate, and who is not. Anyhow he tried to argue that it was his compound and he can do what he liked and also added that I should not use the front of his house when I am making a U turn. HEHEHE, this is what you get when you know you are losing the fight, talk rubbish lah, I mean parking and U turning is the same thing ah, now only I know leh.

Just the next day, it was his usual "hired maid come day" and guess where he parked his car near where I had placed the rocks ( true a-hole). What does this tell you, number one, I did not block people from parking (just not near my gate), number two talk so much why come and park on my side. Anyway to me if he feels he likes parties so much, and thinks he is very rich (drives a Camry & plays golf during weekends & visitors also all drive big car one leh) then buylah corner house where you have plenty of space for your visitors, don'tlah go kacau people, otherwise shut up lah.

LHDN issues

This is one agency that most of you would not want to mess with, but just succumb to their demands. I however am one who will not stand and be made a fool of, not even by this strong armed agency.

Previously, some time ago these jokers sent me a notice advising me that I owe them a substantial amount of back taxes. I looked at their calculations and purported sums and was disgusted. Either they are desperate for staffs or they choose to hire staffs that are cheap (lowly qualified / not too savvy with calculations / etc).

Simple things such as what to add, and what not to add can also be wrongly done (remember the rules was set by them). I duly prepared my reply, and after searching through the net, found the right people to address my complaints to.

Just so that you all know, the actual amounts that I owe them was zero/ziltch /nada, but in fact there were outstanding amounts owed by them to me instead.

Recently, my wife had one of these forms too, asking her to pay additional taxes. The form mentioned that there were additional assessment of RM71 that she had missed. I was rather skeptical and after double checking all her calculations can only conclude that the joker who was doing the assessment had miscalculated (press wrong digits on computer/calculator, didn't bring brain to work, etc).

I mean what were these people thinking. Who in their right mind would bother with such insignificant sums. Anyway, if I were them, I would have some supervisors go through all calculations of sums below RM1,000, or at least make sure I hire people who knows how to double check their work.

GATHERING INVITATION

Just last week, my wife received an invitation from an internet company for some event at BSC (bangsar shopping centre). She was pretty excited about it and couldn't wait to attend it with very high expectations. This was mainly due to the fact that according to the organisers there will be tapas from La Bodega being served.

However, when we arrive there, we were rather disappointed. Firstly we noted that the trays for these "tapas" were mostly empty. Secondly, these weren't the normal tapas that were served by La Bodega but some cheap party food like sandwiches and drumlets (to me they look like they were those available commercially for self frying).

 If was supposed to be some golf thingy but as far as I can tell most of the people there did not know much about golf. Anyhow, we weren't interested and left when we were full with their tapas. Oh, and yes there were drinks served, one cup to be exact of some cheap orange cordial served by the bar.

WINDFALL

What everyone is hoping and wishing for. When will it come and it what form? Will it come as some great news or a great win in some contest or lottery.

I have been constantly, during my younger days been able to get some windfall. Things like winning contest getting surprised gifts and many more. However nowadays I find especially during my adult years that this had not really happen for quite some time. In fact some of the time it is the opposite, negative windfall if you would have it, and its rather depressing.

Anyway, I am not totally without hope or positive thoughts because as many people say "it ain't over till the fat lady sings". There are also those that are fully committed to the believe that, if you can think or dream it, then it will come true.

HR APPRAISALS FORMS / CRITERIAS

Alright, lets see, can any one out there tell me he / she does not have an opinion on his/her own performance at the work they are handling. Now imagine this opinion clashes or is in conflict with their superiors / supervisors / managers. What do you think will happen?

Lets have a show of hands those that feel that their appraisal forms are very objective and that their performances have been properly measured. How many of you think that these forms are very objective and that the set criteria are truly measurable objectively without any chance of interference from personal emotions?

KPIs, this is the commonly used measurements that purportedly allows qualitative items to be measured quantitatively. Work done would be quantified and broken into major areas that are important and measured.

A little on the flaws that arises would be, how can the person control external factors affecting his or her work. Another more major one will be, as mentioned above the emotional factor of the person doing the appraisal. Lets say we have two staff, Ms A and Mr. B. Both of them reports to the Manager who is the sole person responsible for them.

All the while the Manager likes Ms A because they have similar character as well as interests / hobbies. Both likes to have their place very tidy and does their work without using short cuts. Both also are very outgoing and loves to chat and have fun shopping or dining. However, on the other hand Mr. B is a totally different person, he is basically and introvert who likes to be alone and would thus normally keep to himself.

Normally at work Ms A will be late because she says she needs her beauty sleep and because she never cuts corner, her work is normally produced slowly and will normally exceed deadlines given. This is further aggravated by the fact that she likes to chat with her colleagues to catch on latest fashions and gossips. She is also not a very careful person and more often then not would make substantial amounts of mistakes in her work.

In contrast, Mr B is a very punctual person and have never once been late. He is also very thorough in checking that his work is without errors. Efficiency is also one his principal, he does not always follow the rules (conventional way) of completing something when he sees a better way of doing it.

Sometimes when the Manager have functions, he would invite both of them along but generally Mr B would decline as he feels it better to sit home and relax rather than to entertain people with empty talks. Ms A on the other hand would jump at every opportunity to have fun and socialize.

Now its appraisal time and these are the results as appraised by the Manager:-

Ms A - Outgoing, sociable, systematic, friendly, enthusiastic - Very good 90%
Mr B - Introverted, not sociable, haphazard, unfriendly, dull - Below Average 45%

So how, with all her faults hidden or simply ignored, she gets a big bonus and increment, while all Mr A's so called weaknesses (depending on how you judge) are highlighted resulting in no bonuses or increments.

Was the appraisal fair? Are we at the work place to socialize or complete our work? Must we please our bosses or concentrate on our work?