Idol Gives Back Chartiy Promo ... No One Voted Off this week!

Charity was the "American Idol" theme Wednesday night, and the generosity flowed to the contestants, too — no one was voted off the show. After a parade of pop stars, including Kelly Clarkson and Celine Dion, Ryan Seacrest announced the non-result: "All your favorites are still in the competition. How could we let anyone go on a charity night?"

Seacrest said the more than 70 million calls and text messages counted this week will be added to next week's tallies. That means two contestants will be shown the door next Wednesday.

And the six finalists are (still) Melinda Doolittle, Blake Lewis, Phil Stacey, LaKisha Jones, Chris Richardson and Jordin Sparks. The winner will be chosen in May.

The hit Fox show departed from its usual format this week with "Idol Gives Back," a star-filled fundraising effort. The goal was to raise awareness and money for the newly formed Charity Projects Entertainment Fund and other organizations that fund relief programs for children and young people in extreme poverty in America and Africa.

Wednesday's two-hour show — broadcast from the "American Idol" stage and Walt Disney Concert Hall, where Ellen DeGeneres was host — featured performances by Clarkson, Dion, Earth, Wind & Fire, Il Divo, Josh Groban with the African Children's Choir and Annie Lennox.

Jack Black took the stage to croon some verses from Seal's "Kiss From A Rose." That performance was panned by Paula Abdul, who said "the School of Rock called, they want their diploma back."

Stars including Ben Stiller and Madonna appeared in taped segments asking viewers for donations, which could be made by telephone via toll-free pledge lines or on the Internet. On Tuesday's program, viewers voted as usual for the contestants, with donations coming in from corporations.

"If every person who ever voted for Sanjaya could give just one dollar, we could do some good," said actor Eric McCormack.

DeGeneres announced she was donating $100,000.

In its sixth season, "American Idol" continues to rule the ratings. It has attracted 26 million to 37 million viewers per telecast this season.

Source Source2
[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Watch Live TV3, 8TV, 9TV and other Asian Channels for FREE!!

World IP TV is giving free access until June to watch our Malaysian TV Channels and some other Asia TV Channels for free! All you need is a broadband access and you can Register for free to watch it!

I think this would really benefit all Malaysians who are either studying or working overseas. This is where they can at least tune back to catch some local flavor!

Cool huh? Check out http://www.worldip.tv

Viewers will need to log onto the worldip.tv website with a broadband-enabled
personal computer or a 3G (third-generation) cellphone in order to get the live
streaming and video-on-demand programmes.

The IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) service is being offered by Broadway Digital Media (BDM) Sdn Bhd, a subsidiary of music company Broadway Entertainment (M) Sdn Bhd.

Local channels available are TV3, ntv7, 8TV and TV9 while the foreign channels are
Indonesia’s Metro TV and China’s Dragon TV.

The service is free until June, after which BDM would charge local customers RM10 a month while overseas subscribers will have to pay US$5 (RM17), BDM chairman Aziz Bakar said.

“With this service, you’ll never have to rush home to catch Bulletin Utama
(or any other favourite TV show). You have the next 24 hours to watch it on our
service,” he added.

Besides professionals who are always on the move, BDM is also targeting Malaysian students and expatriates.

“CNN would not normally show you news of floods (in the country). So if you are overseas, you can watch it on our portal. You can also get news about your hometown, from wherever you are,” said BDM chief executive officer Boon Tan.

Source

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Google tops new list of world's Most Valuable Brands

Google Inc. has knocked Microsoft Corp. from its perch as the world's top-ranked brand, according to findings released on Monday.

The rankings, compiled by market research firm Millward Brown, also put Google ahead of well-established brands like General Electric Co., No. 2; Coca-Cola Co., No. 4; Wal-Mart Stores, No. 7; and IBM, No. 9.

Some key factors seen this year in building brand recognition ranged from corporate responsibility to serving customers in emerging markets like Brazil and India, according to the study.

The top-ranked brand from a non-U.S.-based company was China Mobile, which dropped a spot but still came in at No. 5.

The rankings were based on publicly available financial data along with primary research, including interviews with a million consumers worldwide, Millward Brown said.

For Google, which ranked No. 7 a year ago, the jump to the top underscores how quickly the Web search leader has become an everyday name. The company uses relatively little advertising, instead relying on word-of-mouth promotion.

By contrast, Microsoft's slide down to third place from first comes even as the software company has been rolling out its new Windows Vista operating system with a massive global marketing blitz.

Eileen Campbell, global chief executive of Millward Brown, said the rankings showed "a blend of good business leadership, responsible financial management and powerful marketing ... can be leveraged to create and grow corporate wealth."

Some of the other big movers on the list included Apple Inc.. which rose 13 spots to No. 16 and Starbucks Corp., which rose 13 spots to No. 35. Those losing ground in the brand rankings included Intel Corp., Home Depot Inc. and Dell Inc.

Millward Brown is a unit of WPP Group and the findings were published in cooperation with the Financial Times.

Top 10 Brands
1. Google
2. GE (General Electric)
3. Microsoft
4. Coca Cola (*)
5. China Mobile
6. Marlboro
7. Wal-Mart
8. Citi
9. IBM
10. Toyota
- Read PDF Report for the full Listing

Source Source2

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Told You It wasn't the end of Sanjaya Malakar yet

Sanjaya Malakar is so famous, he can't walk anywhere without getting noticed. "It's really weird. I mean, I'm just Sanjaya from Seattle," the 17-year-old "American Idol" cast-off said Monday on "Live With Regis and Kelly."

"It's paparazzi (who) get at you," he said, "and fans come up and try to give you hugs and get autographs. I would love to just be able to hug everyone and give autographs and take pictures, but you can't."

Malakar was voted off the Fox talent competition last week after a long and unlikely run in which he outlasted better singers and captivated millions of TV viewers with his goofy charm and ever-changing hairdos.

He wants to be a triple threat: singer, actor and model.

"Like, I really — what I want to do is experience the whole entertainment business because, I mean, I'm not just a musician, I'm an entertainer," Malakar said.

Fresh off "American Idol," the lanky teen/media It Boy is in demand. Another stop on his post-show publicity tour was David Letterman's "Late Show" on CBS, where Malakar was to read the "Top Ten" list Monday night.

On Saturday, he attended a White House correspondents' dinner in Washington as a guest of People magazine.

"It was really weird because the governor of New York came up to me and said, `I'm a fan, I vote,'" Malakar said.

"That's fantastic," said Kelly Ripa, co-host of the syndicated daytime talk show.

"It was really weird," Malakar said.

Related Post

• Sanjaya May Not Have Lost Yet
• Bye Bye ... Sanjaya ... Finally Off the American Idol
  

Source


[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Selling Sunway Sutera Condo

Our first home. We’ve been owners and residents of the Sunway Sutera Condo since moving in April 2002. We would now like to sell our lovely Condo to anyone wishing to set up residence in the Sunway Damansara, Petaling Jaya neighbourhood.

at our Condo : Sunway Sutera Condo
Unit : Block A - Fifth Floor
Sunway Sutera Condo
No 2 Jalan Tropicana Utara
47810 Petaling Jaya
Selangor


:: Fact Sheet
- Unit Size : 105.8 sqm / 1139 sqft
- 3 Bedrooms / 2 Bathrooms
- Include 2 Car Park Lots
- Semi Furnished
- Leasehold
- Maintenace Fee - RM0.15 sqft - RM 170.85
- Developer : Suncity Bhd


:: Condo Unit Location : Block A / 5th Floor
- Low Density Condo
- Only 6 Storeys with Elevator
- Close to Guardhouse, simple for entry and exit from Condo


:: Condo Facilities
- Swimming Pool
- Baby Pool
- Badminton Court
- Tennis Court
- Gym Room
- 2 Multi Purpose Hall
- BBQ Area
- Resident Reading Room


:: Condo (Semi-Furnished) Unit Includes
- 4 Airconds
- Kitchen Cabinets
- Hall:Built In Cabinet & Shoe Cabinet
- 2 Car Park Lots
- All bedroom and bathroom units have Tiled Flooring (original was parquet in bedroom)


:: Other Key Points
Centrally located in Petaling Jaya. View Map of Sunway Damansara
- Located within the vicinity of Tropicana
- Minutes away from 1 Utama Shopping Centre
- Minutes away from Ikea / Tesco / Curve / Ikano / Cineliesure Shopping Malls
- Minutes away from Damansara Toll North/South Highway
- Minutes away from LDP Expressway
- Minutes away from KBU College
- Minutes away from Sri KDU


We would like to sell the Condo in the 3rd Quarter of 2007 at RM350,000 (negotiable)

Please contact Daren Lee / 012 230 8800 or delephant@yahoo.com if interested or if you would like to view the home.

Featured On Property Websites

• Fullhouse.com.my


• HouseForSale.com.my


• PropShack.com


• Yello.com.my
• EJunction.com.my

[tags : delephant stuff]

Sanjaya May Not Have Lost Yet

"American Idol" underdog Sanjaya Malakar has finally joined the ranks of losers but could end up parlaying his fame into a winning career.

Malakar, 17, whose dreamy smile, wacky hair styles and soft, mediocre voice made him "Something To Talk About" across the nation, said on Thursday his months with the popular TV singing contest were the "most amazing experience" of his young life.

"I wouldn't change anything for the world," Malakar told KIIS FM radio on Thursday.

Malakar became the most searched male celebrity on Yahoo!, beating fictional boy wizard Harry Potter, and has reportedly attracted millions of dollars in potential offers.

One pop culture expert said Malakar could be the next tween -- pre-teen -- idol, especially if he teams up with his stunning sister Shyamali, 20, who also auditioned for "American Idol" but failed to make it to the final 24.

"If I were an executive at Disney or Nickelodeon I would be rushing to sign them both up. He is a really cute kid and it is no surprise he has become a breakthrough star," said Robert Thompson, director of the Center for the Study of Popular Television.

Malakar seemed taken aback by the buzz that inspired Internet spoof videos, T-shirts and even a backlash campaign aimed at sabotaging the credibility of the show.

"I'm still just Sanjaya from Seattle," he told KIIS. "It's kind of fun to look in a magazine and see your face, but after a while it's kind of weird."

Asked whether he was aware of a reported $15 million in offers, he said "Wow! Not that I know of."

Malakar has been offered a guest appearance on the hit Disney tween TV show "Hannah Montana" and Kentucky Fried Chicken has offered him a lifetime supply of its chicken bowl dinner if he wears a bowl-style hairdo on national television.

"If all the money that Sanjaya stands to make from CD sales, endorsement deals and TV sitcom appearances is added up, then Sanjaya likely has already won American Idol," said Internet site www.realitytvmagazine.com.

Source

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Bye Bye ... Sanjaya ... Finally Off the American Idol

Sanjaya Malakar, the under-talented but unflappable singer who horrified and captivated millions in his improbable "American Idol" run, was finally voted off the show Wednesday night.

When the result was announced, Malakar wiped away tears and got a big hug from LaKisha Jones, the next lowest vote-getter.

"I'm fine," he told Ryan Seacrest. "It was an amazing experience."

"I can promise you: We won't soon forget you," Seacrest replied.

Malakar then performed one last song, "Something To Talk About." Putting his own twist on the song, the 17-year-old known for his pretty looks and ever-changing hairstyles ad-libbed: "Let's give them something to talk about ... other than hair."

On Tuesday night's show, Simon Cowell had slammed his performance as "utterly horrendous." And for once, the notoriously mean judge was vindicated.

"I'm beginning to sense something here," a grinning Cowell said when Malakar wound up in the bottom three.

Six contestants are now left: Jones, Blake Lewis, Jordin Sparks, Chris Richardson, Melinda Doolittle and Phil Stacey.

Malakar was routinely savaged by Cowell as he developed into one of the weakest, most awkward "Idol" finalists ever. Still, the gangly teen managed to outlast better singers by cultivating an unlikely fan base that helped him survive round after round of viewer elimination.

Though his breathy, childlike singing voice paled in comparison with other finalists, his ability to stand out kept him in the competition. He consistently delivered the season's most talked-about performances, even daring to sport a ponytail mohawk that added pizazz to an otherwise tepid rendition of Gwen Stefani's "Bathwater."

That, of course, wound up fodder for watercooler discussion on G-rated morning programs and smart-alecky Web sites, stoking suspicion that Malakar was self-consciously manipulating the media to carve a place in "American Idol" history.

Many had predicted that he would make it all the way to May finale. Among Malakar's supporters: radio shock jock Howard Stern and the Web site VotefortheWorst.com, which has long promoted the show's tone-deaf candidates. (Previous targets include surly Scott Savol and sweet-natured Kevin Covais. Cult superstar William Hung never even made it to Hollywood.)

Malakar also had the backing of friends and family in his home state of Washington. "He's very handsome. That's most of it," marveled his friend Pat Wright, a gospel choir director in Seattle. "He's a teenager, and young girls and guys really like him."

Malakar seemed buoyed by his widespread fame.

"Welcome to the universe of Sanjaya!" he proudly proclaimed on a recent telecast, following a backhanded compliment from an exasperated Cowell.

Indeed, after panning another of Malakar's performances, Cowell threw up his arms and said there was nothing he could say to prevent people from voting for the oddball-turned-national phenomenon.

But, in the end, Malakar could not win enough votes to join the ranks of Taylor Hicks, Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood.

He will, however, live forever on YouTube.

Source

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Got a D-Link Model Wireless Router for only RM169 at PC Fair

After much much walking around, talking to peeps and figuring out what's the best deal. We finally decided to go with the D-Link rather thatn Level One!

We were told the set up for Level One was a bit wee more complicated cos there's so much customization that you can do.

So since we are SIMPLE PEOPLE ... :) we decided to go with the simpler one. :)

At PC Fair we got this great deal to sign up for Streamyx and also get a D-Link Router for only RM169. Glad we waited to Sunday, cos on Friday it was RM199! :)
(Think of all the Maggie Mee Gorengs i Saved!)

DI-524 > High Speed 2.4GHz (802.11g) Wireless Router

• Up to 54Mbps
• Advanced Firewall & Parental Control
• Quick and Easy Setup [We like this!!!]
• 802.11g Standard, 802.11b Compatible

AND THEN!!! the other great thing about this package was that we were also given the FREE WebHosting and Free Domain Name for a year. (i guess it was all packaged inside la)

Its via Emerge Webhosting and they are offering one Free Domain name and Free 1GB for a year as well! Guess this free domain and space would be useful huh?

So all in all .. we think we have some pretty good deals from our PC Fair.

Related Post

• Shopping for Wireless Router (wifi) at PC Fair

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Shopping for Wireless Router (wifi) at PC Fair

We went shopping today during lunch! Glad that PC Fair is just next door at the KL Convention Centre. Amazing PC Fair seems to grow bigger and bigger each time we go.

This time they have an additional Hall to house all the "Big Brand Names" - Sony, Dell, Canon and the lot. So as usual its like a mini Disney Land where u have to walk to ONE hall, pass it, go to another Hall (which housed the Secondary Brands) before taking the Escalators down to the Ground Floor to the "real" PC Fair.

Was pretty glad that at the First Booth we stopped, we found a really affordable Wireless Router. I was told to be prepared to pay RM200+ for a decent wireless router. (I am hoping that TM Net would be nice to me and give me a Free Modem when i sign up for the Streamyx Basic 1M.

Anyway .... Booth 248 ran by E-Life Technology were selling Wireless Routers.

Found this ADSL Wireless Router from a German Company called Level One.

Have you heard of them? Apparently Warranty for Life, with a ONE to ONE Exchange. (which is apparently attainable from E-Life Technology)


The Model is WBR-3408

802.11g Wireless Broadband Router with QoS

Features

- High-Speed Wireless Networking
- Ideal Solution for Internet Access Sharing
- Web-based Configuration and Management
- Advanced QoS with Bandwidth Control
- WEP 64 /128 bit and WPA/WPA2/PSK Wireless Security

They were having a PROMOTION (of course lah, otherwise why go PC Fair rite?). Usual price was RM166, they cut it to RM158.

Then at PC Fair, further reduction to RM150. Then got RM10 Rebate some more. So total price only RM140!!

In addition they will be giving a FREE Antenna which normally cost RM30. :)

Level One Wireless Router WBR-3408

So it was a GOOD FIND lor at PC Fair.
Only RM140 for a Wireless Router!! :)

Visit Level One Website



[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Sanjaya survives the cut on "American Idol"

But wasn't Ryan bad, to make Sanjaya stand 3 Times, and then ask him to sit
again before giving him the final results of the Votes for yesterday's
show!! Suspense nya!

The questionably gifted but clearly popular Sanjaya Malakar easily survived another elimination on the hit show "American Idol" on Wednesday after a performance even irascible judge Simon Cowell conceded "wasn't horrible."

Fans instead chose Haley Scarnato, from San Antonio, to go home when she scored the fewest votes among viewers of the nationally televised talent contest. Host Ryan Seacrest said the more than 35 million votes cast represented the season's highest tally.

"Haley heads home tonight on 'American Idol,"' said Seacrest, announcing the result on the live broadcast.

The 24-year-old Scarnato, who sang "Turn the Beat Around" on Tuesday's program, had been snarkily advised by Cowell to wear as little clothing as possible, presumably to distract from her less-than stellar vocal abilities.

But Malakar, who has emerged as the show's star, particularly since radio host Howard Stern exhorted his listeners to vote for the 17-year-old whose wacky hairdos on the show have been as inconsistent as his performances, was again not among the bottom three.

His rendition of "Besame Mucho" on the Latin-themed edition that included a guest appearance by superstar Jennifer Lopez was among his best-received in recent weeks. The judges opined his singing was "really good," smart and smooth, with Cowell saying it pained him to concede the Washington resident's crooning "wasn't horrible."

"American Idol"'s music director has said he thinks Malakar could well win the whole thing.

"I think he could win the show," Ricky Minor told the New York Post this week. "People are pulling for him. ... I can tell you he can sing," Minor said, adding "This isn't a singing competition alone. ... He's a handsome guy, and is really likable. People are pulling for him."

This week's other two bottom-scoring finalists included Chris Richardson and Phil Stacey, but both survived to become one of the final seven of the competition.

Source

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

WOO HOO! Received another Present in Our Mail!!!

Hmm dunno to Smile or to be Sad!!!



This week, we received a notice from Pos Laju to collect "an item" from the Pos Laju Office.



This of course brought a smile. Did we win something again?

So that nite, after work, decided to go pay Mr Laju a visit. It was raining, and it was not our normal Malaysian drizzle, but it was pouring cats and dogs, but we will brave through the storm to go check out what special thing that has been sent in the mail this time.
[Don't you wish the Pos Laju slip gives a Clue to what's in the package, so that you don't need to keep guessing if its a Pot of Gold or just a notice from the Bank!]





So after collecting the Pos Laju item, walked back decently to the car, entered the car, locked it (never know nowadays), started the car engine, turned the aircond up, switched on the aircond .....


And started Ripping apart the plastic Pos Laju cover ....





Guess what? HAPPINESS!!!





We received a free HSBC Traveler's Phone Charger (for a recent sign up promo with HSBC recently). SO COOOL!

This is a Close Up Shot of our Portable Phone Charger. Tks HSBC!

It comes with a AA Sized Battery Pack, and a Multiple Connector to several phone type.

Well, the next morning, after bringing home our HSBC Gift, i started scrutinizing it. Hmm, how will it work, if i plug here, or plug there. Both of us at home owns a Sony Ericsson phone (SE RULES!!!)





Guess what?????? SIGH!!!


The wonderful gift from HSBC, the Portable Phone Charger, does not (I repeat DOES NOT) have a connection for Sony Ericsson phones!!! ARRRGHHH!

Anybody wanna buy from us... cheap cheap! :) Comes with a HSBC Logo Cover Case! :) hehe

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

MY LIST - A List of Malaysian Bloggers Can Make Money?

Hmmmm .... how does this work?

No clue whatsoever. Promises better Page Ranking, because everyone's Blog who is participating will be able to have a link to each other's Blog. I guess the only thing it will serve is that it will create a lot of direct linkage of Malaysian Blogs.

Well since it promises to increase Page Ranking and thus help in generating additional visits from curious people clicking the List below. Here goes!!

You need to go the orginator of My List.

Download the My List and paste it at the bottom of the Post. (refer below)

At the end of the Closing date (31 May) you'll need to download the list and paste it one more time. (Like this everyone would benefit whether you joined when MY LIST launches or if you created a blog in June and join the list!)

** (thinking aloud now) Wow!! Trying to imagine that by the end of May, if this little project started by Daryl works out, you may have thousands of Blog LINKS ... linking each other like a little Spider Web! :)

Oh yeah, you can submit as many blogs as you want too! Still have no clue to what i am talking about, visit the My List site-lah.

My List Participants

MONTESSORIMUM.COM

Funky Cookies

Earn Money Blogging

PabloPabla's Whatever

Make Money with Blogging

Paris Beaverbanks

Free Links Giveaway

Free Blogger Templates

Blogsreview.Net

Making a Living

5xmom

How to be a Better Blogger

My Women Stuff

Hochiak! Delicious Asian Food

Best Recipes

Champagne Tastes on a Beer Budget

Daryl's Discovery Journey

The fluff must go somewhere

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Hungry Swedish Crockcoach at Ikea Restaurant

Ewwwwwww! Yups that's how I felt when i discovered the new novelty Swedish Speciality at the Ikea Restaurant last Sunday!!

It was a Swedish Crockcoach!! :)

Was lining up for some nice authenthic Swedish Meatballs, when who decided to join me at the Ikea Restaurant queue, but one quite little "Siew Keong" aka Crockcoach!

I immediately pulled the Tray away!!!

Mebbe they love Swedish Meatballs too! :)







[tags : delephant fun stuff]

WORTHY Worship Nite at Glad Tidings

Glad Tidings Petaling Jaya will be having a nite dedicated to Worship! The focus on 5 October 2007 is to simply come into the presence of God and just WORSHIP Him because he deserves the Glory!! :)

If you're available on Friday Nite .... come and join us for a nite of Worship.


Related Links (Updated)

• Final Rehearsal
• The WORTHY Worship Nite (Photos & Videos)

Join us for WORTHY Worship Nite

Click on the Flyer below for more info

[tags : glad tidings worship nite christian event live worship gtpj]

Victim of SMS Spam and made to PAY Maxis

SIGH ..... Yups... I was a victim to SMS Spam for a few months without realizing that I was being charged RM0.50 for each SMS received. In fact I was pretty irritated by the daily SMSes that came in, sometimes there was two, sometimes three ... during Christmas last year there were easily seven or eight SMSes a day!

All the time I just DELETE lah! Wondering why so many people were sending SMSes to me.

Only after a few months, when I decided to scrutinize my Maxis Statement / Bill, when i came to realize that I was being CHARGED RM0.50 for each SMS received!!

Was certainly unhappy, and immediately called 123 (Maxis Help Line) to complaint and to ask for a Waiver as i did not subscribe to the SMS.

One of the initial questions from Maxis Customer Service was ... "Did
you Subscribe to this SMS Service?"

My immediate response was "NO-lah!!! Check my records, I've been an avid
and loyal user to Maxis for many years, and I don't subscribe to any other
services or even buy ring tones (err i make my own ring tones!:) )

Anyway, after a few more statements back and forth, Maxis said, we will Investigate.

Well ... after Two Months of Investigating (which i of course refused to pay the Bill for those SMS amount), Maxis Customer Service called again and politely declined to Waive the Bill. They said that from our investigations you subscribed for the service!

SIGH!! I spoke to two more persons at Maxis to request to Waive the Bill, as i didn't subscribe to any SMS service. (Repeat ... check my Records .. i ain't one of those that buy and subscribe stuff on my phone!!) But unfortunately it fell on deaf ears.

Why am I writing this? I dunno, read the below article in STAR today, and was hoping someone from the Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission can help me lor!!! [I still have all my correspondences (email) with Maxis ... so if anyone can help me... i still have all my Black & White with me]

So guess who is this terrible terrible SPAMMER on my Maxis Phone?

Its known as SMS.ac Do you receive any Spam SMS from them?

Beware of SMS.ac

and Call Maxis Helpline to STOP those SMSes, if you're receiving them!!

[NEWS] : SMS spam bugging phone users

SMS “spam” offering ringtones, horoscopes, games, quizzes, contests, chat services and even professional advice by content providers is fast becoming a source of discontent and expense for mobile phone users.

Not only are these SMSes unwelcome but users are automatically charged up to RM4 if they fail to reply to decline the “service.”

Legal executive C.T. Wong, 48, said it was ridiculous that one had to spend money to reply to the SMS to decline the service offered.

She said the real shock came when she contacted her mobile telecommunications provider and was told that consumers had to bear with it because the Government approved it.

IT consultant Marvin Lee, 26, a victim of this tactic, said mobile prepaid users could fall prey to such a scheme and not even know it.

“There could be millions using prepaid services being blindly charged for such services and the sad thing is that they are unable to check their balance or charges to be aware of this,” he added.

Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission corporate communications head Adelina Iskandar said the commission was aware of this problem, and that investigations were under way.

A spokesperson with a leading telecommunications company said they provided a code to external content providers as part of “normal business” to enable them to offer their services to phone users.

“The code, however, does not allow content providers access to the telcos’ customer database,” he said.

A Maxis spokesman urged the public to report their grouses to the customer service centre. {yeah rite!}

A Celcom spokesman said they had mechanisms that interacted with their content providers to ensure they did not send spam.

Source

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Lurve them .. Mc Donald's Hot Cakes

This ain't a Sponsored Post! I repeat .. THIS AINT ONE OF THEM SPONSORED post!




If u have not gotten a chance to try the Mc Donald's Hot Cakes. U must go get one NOW!!

Our first experience eating one of these Hot Cakes (us Malaysians call them pancakes lah!), was in Singapore about a year ago. It was superlicious and yummylicious.

We were like .. why lah ... Mc D's in Malaysia not bringing it in wan?

A week ago.. we were BLEST, when Tiff's cousin surprised us one morning. She called Tiff and said, aiyah I'm at Mc Donald's now .. gonna "ta pau" something for you. I was like oooh ... Big Macs in the morning sounds good! :)

But guess what? When she arrived .. she had this delightful box filled with the Yummiest of them all .. Mc Donald's Hot Cakes! HAPPINESS! :)

Apparently u can't get them everywhere yet ... but we can attest to you that its Available at the Mc Donald's at CentrePoint (Bandar Utama). So take a detour lah and go get some HOT CAKES!!

In case u are wondering how they look like, we love 'em so much .. we took a picture of the signboard (sure sign of addiction) .. u can see it below! :)

We're Lovin' It!

p/s and as the sign says ... its not just available for Breakfast .. its All Day and All Night!

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Our First RM50 from Advertlets!! Woo Hoo!!

Amazing!!! Logged on to Advertlets.com today and guess what we discovered when we clicked on the Dashboard?

Woo hoo!! RM50 was credited into my balance. And this RM50 was given because we did a review on Advertlets on my blog! :) Wonderful isn't it!!! More info? Click here

In case you have not heard, Advertlets is a Malaysian owned and runned Advertising Company for Malaysian Bloggers and Malaysian Websites. Its pretty much like the Google Adsense for Malaysia. They have some pretty nifty setup for their ads, cos of their in-built Survey thingy on Advertlets. If u want more info .. go check them out lah... Advertlets.com



And to show that its for REAL!! .. Check out our Dashboard Screenshot here.

And errr yes... We're still figuring out where did that ONE cent came from? Anyone out there have a clue? :) hehe



[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Sanjaya Still Strong on "American Idol 6"

Sanjaya Malakar, the talk of "American Idol" fan sites and blogs, advanced on Wednesday to another round, as a bout with the flu forced crooner Tony Bennett to cancel a live performance on the hit show.

Rocker Gina Glocksen was sent packing from the group of nine finalists on the Fox television show, while Malakar, the 17-year-old whose finalist status has defied shaky performances and criticism from the judges, was easily voted through.

Malakar wasn't even among the bottom three vote-getters in this week's competition, in which contestants performed standards such as "Night and Day" and "Mack the Knife."

Bennett, 80, best known for his rendition of the ballad "I Left My Heart in San Francisco" and a multiple Grammy award winner, appeared on Tuesday's show in pre-taped segments coaching the nine singers who made it to this week's round of the talent contest.

"Even legends can come down with the flu," said host Ryan Seacrest, announcing Bennett's absence. "And that's just what Tony has done."

Standing in for Bennett as the featured guest singer on the show was the young, Canadian-born jazz vocalist Michael Buble, singing "Call Me Irresponsible."

The tally that sent Glocksen, from Naperville, Illinois, off "American Idol" was the highest of the show's sixth season, with just under 33 million votes cast, Seacrest said.

Glocksen, whose performance singing the Charlie Chaplin classic "Smile" scored the fewest votes, vowed "I'll be seeing you on tour" before singing the song one more time as the credits rolled.

Haley Scarnato and Phil Stacey joined Glocksen in the bottom three, but survived to sing another week on the country's No. 1 television show.

But it was Malakar's fate that drew the greatest speculation.

In recent weeks he has moved a 13-year-old girl to tears on national television, inspired a one-woman hunger strike, smiled through vicious comments from "Idol" judges, been the butt of late-night comedians' jokes and delivered almost as many different hair-dos as off-key notes.

Acerbic judge Simon Cowell quipped last month that he would quit if Malakar won the competition. This week he said he was going to "try a different tactic," saying simply, "incredible" after Malakar's rendition of "Cheek to Cheek."

Some say Malakar is riding his charms through the competition, but other die-hard fans insist that if he is not eliminated, and soon, the show will have lost its credibility.

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[tags : delephant fun stuff]

American Idol - Eight More Finalist ... Good Bye to Yet Another

Gina Glocksen, who had her share of good and bad "American Idol" moments, kissed the show goodbye Wednesday, becoming the latest casualty in viewer voting. The exit of Glocksen, 22, of Naperville, Ill., trimmed the number of finalists to eight. The winner will be chosen in May.

Judge Randy Jackson had said on Tuesday's program that Glocksen — the show's resident rocker girl, with her red highlights and all-black outfits — gave a "nice, controlled performance" of the classic song "Smile."

His colleague Simon Cowell, who has griped that Glocksen was not in the same league as other finalists, sported a frown.

Glocksen let out a sob when she heard the result but managed to sing through her tears while performing on "Idol" for the last time.

Haley Scarnato and Phil Stacey had the next-lowest vote tallies in the phone balloting, which drew about 33 million calls and text messages.

Scarnato, 24, of San Antonio, is not opposed to showing a little skin on "Idol." Though Cowell derided her take on "Ain't Misbehavin'" as a bit "pageant-y," he applauded her "nice legs."

Cowell said Stacey's performance of "Night and Day" was too dark and dreary, while Tony Bennett— this week's venerable guest coach — heaped praise on the 29-year-old Floridian, calling him one of the best singers he's heard.

Wednesday's program also featured a performance by Michael Buble, who sang "Call Me Irresponsible."

Among this week's survivors were favorites Melinda Doolittle, LaKisha Jones and Jordin Sparks. Sanjaya Malakar — the stringbean teen who's anything but a judges' favorite but still manages to rack up viewer votes — also made it through.

In its sixth season, "American Idol" continues to rule the ratings. It has attracted 26 million to 37 million viewers per telecast this season.

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[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Malaysia's Online Real-Time Road Traffic Website

Now this is coool and absolutely using technology to help consumers to gauge
our road traffic conditions via the web. Cool Beans!

Free info on traffic situation

Road users can now obtain information on real-time traffic conditions on several highways via variable message signboard (VMS), web portal, short messaging system (SMS) and multimedia messaging system (MMS).

The good news is that all this will be for free, announced Works Minister Datuk Seri S. Samy Vellu.

He said the Malaysian Highway Authority’s national traffic management centre, which was based on Intelligent Transportation System (ITS), would monitor the traffic situation on 11 highways.

“Through the ITS concept, the centre is able to collect, store and analyse traffic data and disseminate them to road users through various medium,” he said at the launch of the centre at the MHA headquarters yesterday.

The minister later told reporters that the centre comprised three phases, with the first two phases having been completed.

The first phase includes integration of the centre with the Lebuhraya Damansara Puchong (LDP)/ Sprint Highway, New Pantai Expressway (NPE), Kesas and Penang Bridge while the second phase covers the West Coast Expressway, North-South Highway (Plus), Guthrie Corridor Expressway (GCE), and development of a web portal, SMS and MMS for road users. The third phase will cover other highways later this year.

Real-time traffic information on highways via

www.llmtrafik.gov.my.

Source

[tags : delephant fun stuff]

New Way to Make Money - Google Apps Referrals

Following google's recent series of referrals announcements, we're happy to announce that you can now earn $5 per referral for Google Apps.

With Google Apps, we've taken Google's most powerful communication and collaboration tools, and packaged them together so businesses, schools and other organizations can work more effectively while spending less time and money on IT systems.

Google Apps provides customized email addresses (powered by Gmail),
Google Calendar, Google Talk, Docs & Spreadsheets and Page Creator, all for free.

Best of all, everything is hosted by Google, so there's no hardware or software to download, install or maintain.


So how do these referrals work?
1. Just visit the AdSense Setup tab in your AdSense account and click the link for Referrals. 2. Select the Google Apps option and then choose how you want the referral ad to look on your site.
3. Copy the code provided into the design of your web pages, and voila!


You will be credited $5 when someone clicks the referral ad from your site and signs up for Google Apps with a domain that has not already been signed up for the service. That person's domain must then have one or more Google Apps email accounts in use for four consecutive weeks. It's that simple.

If you're new to AdSense referrals, you might want to check out our referrals optimization tips.


[tags : delephant fun stuff]

Is Sanjaya getting Weaker or Stronger on American Idol?

He's the weakest singer with the best hair and the cutest smile. He is mocked by late-night TV comedians and has become the target of anti-"American Idol" forces.

But Sanjaya Malakar has lived to see another round of "American Idol," prompting a passionate debate over whether the nation's most watched TV show has lost its credibility or unwittingly created another media superstar.

"Will Sanjaya kill 'American Idol'?" asked one fan in a posting on the www.idol-mania.com Web site on Thursday.

Malakar, 17, easily advanced into the ranks of nine finalists competing in the sixth installment of the Fox network singing contest on Wednesday after becoming one of the most-talked about people on U.S. television.

During the past three weeks, Malakar has moved a 13 year-old girl to tears on national television, inspired a one-woman hunger strike, smiled through vicious comments from "Idol" judges and delivered almost as many different hair-dos as off-key notes.

Far from being voted off the show by members of the public, whose preferences are registered by telephone and text messages to eliminate one contestant each week, Malakar appears to be going from strength to strength.

Even acerbic British judge Simon Cowell, who quipped last month that he would quit if Malakar won the competition, appears to have succumbed.

"Sanjaya, I don't think it matters anymore what we say ... I think you are in your own universe and if people like you, good luck," Cowell said after Malakar's startling mohawk hairdo overshadowed another less-than-stellar singing performance on Tuesday.

Maverick Web site www.votefortheworst.com (VFTW) claims much of the credit for "saving" Malakar on what it calls "America's largest karaoke contest."

The Web site's mission, picked up and promoted by radio shock jock Howard Stern, is to "have fun with 'American Idol' and embrace its suckiness" by encouraging people to vote en masse for the worst contestants.

But popular culture expert Robert Thompson said he doubted Stern's audience had the patience to negotiate the famously busy signals on "Idol" phone lines.

"Sanjaya is a really cute kid with a unique look and an incredibly dreamy smile that can get thirty 12-year old girls to vote a million times apiece on speed dial," said Thompson, director of Syracuse University's Center for the Study of Popular Television.

"I don't think he injures its credibility at all. 'American Idol' has never been about a scientific way of producing the very best vocalist of our time. It has been a silly, fun, really well-produced talent competition, and you never quite know what's going to happen," Thompson said.

Some diehard "Idol" fans, who have seen past contestants find success at the Grammys, the Oscars and the Country Music Awards, were not so convinced.

"Faithful watchers will stop watching if Sanjaya is not sent home. The whole purpose of this show is being undermined by a lot of people who have lost sight of (or more likely couldn't care less about) the ultimate goal. ... for the BEST SINGER to win!!!!," wrote one fan who used the name Kshenk on the www.americanidol.com message board

Source

[tags : delephant fun stuff]