Tuesday, February 27, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 12:45 pm
Having tasted earning through PayPerPost the last 3 months, I am giving myself a personal target to earn money to get myself a laptop. Dell Computers look to be a good bet considering their packages available as seen on advertisements. Of course, there are others like Compaq, Acer and Toshiba but when one has
Dell Coupons , the advantage is obvious. With a laptop, I can access internet wherever I go especially when I travel outstation for my trials. It is no fun sitting around the airport waiting for my flight and a laptop will enable me to get online and post away!
Now, with the aim in mind, I shall have to scour for the best Dell Computer deal available! Have you started using coupons?
This is a sponsored post and the personal target is what I really aim to do!
Monday, February 26, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 9:11 pm
These couple of days, I've been thinking whether I should plunge myself into a new dot.com. Why? Cos I think this site is getting too commercial liao. Hahahah! I think I need a tidier place to really put my thoughts down so that readers who like to busybody want to know about my thoughts can read them. Hahaha! Of course, that would mean another blog to spend time on and time indeed is going to be stretched far and thin. What more when I have to juggle with this blog and the food blog on top of my 9 - 5 work.
I shall have to restrategise. Any suggestions? Even for the new dot.com, it is not easy thinking of a name for it. A couple of names have been swirling around my head and I am still taking time to choose the appropriate one. Time will tell...
posted by PabloPabla at 4:07 pm
"The only way you can truly get more out of life for yourself is to give part of yourself away." How very unworldly but true. The world demands that one keeps everything and hoard everything in order to get more out of life but the opposite is most true and this is what Jesus also taught. In The Ultimate Gift, trust fund baby Jason Stevens anticipates a big inheritance when his wealthy grandfather died. Instead, his grandfather has devised a crash course on life with twelve tasks – or “gifts” – designed to challenge Jason in improbable ways, sending him on a journey of self-discovery and forcing him to determine what is most important in life: money or happiness.
This is the official site of the movie "The Ultimate Gift" and the grass-roots movement its starting to help charities and give to others. Slated for release on 9th March, this movie is adapted from the book with the same title which has sold more than 4 million copies. The movie has a stellar cast of Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin, James Garner, Ali Hillis, Drew Fuller and Brian Dennehy and it is bound to take the world by storm. Even before the movie takes premiere, the book has left a message that has already prompted people to give to others, connect with friends and family, and help those in need like never before. Every one of us has powerful gifts to share, now we all have the added inspiration, resources and opportunities of a full-fledged movement. Each day, the momentum grows and the impact widens, as The Ultimate Gift continues to inspire thousands, if not millions, of others to share the gift and change the world.
The Ultimate Gift is a movie with a difference. Or should I say, a movie which makes a real difference in the lives of many. For the screening on March 9th, 10th and 11th, each and every one of the shows will be an opportunity for the raising of donations for non-profit organizations – including the ones closest to your heart. Throughout the “Weekend Of Giving”, $1.00 of every ticket purchased for The Ultimate Gift will be donated to the cause of your choice, thanks to a special partnership with the Fox Film Fund. The more people who watch this movie, the more needy people will will benefit. At least, this movie is not all about commercialism but makes a difference in the needy world out there.
The Ultimate Gift also strives to inspire the younger generation - specifically the teens to discover their charitable passions. As a result, Show Of Hands is the nation's first true, hands-on organisation initiative developed solely for the purpose of showing teens the power and rewards of giving to others was formed. This is truly good and in the right direction. The youths are our future and what better way than to get them aware and be involved in charity.
I just hope this movie will be screened in Malaysia...
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 3:41 pm
I've always been fascinated by Russian artists. I think they are a very talented lot and most of them are not known outside of their country until recently. Most of the well-known composers are Russian or from the old USSR. There are also many who are good in arts and in fact, the header of this blog is taken from a wallpaper designed by a Russian.
Russian Artist Victor Lysakov is an artist passionate in modern expressionist paintings. His paintings come in a vibrant pallete and is known for its unique composition.
Victor Lysakov is proud to make his American debut and his website showcases his work of art. Victor Lysakov was born in Siberia in 1952 and discovered his talents at a young age. “It was when I was six years old that I realized, for the first time, that the most natural and the most fitting way for me to carry on a conversation with the world was through the visual language" said Victor Lysakov.
Victor Lysakov is not purely an artist as he demonstrated through his academic prowess. He has an MS in Physical Chemistry from the Moscow State Institure of Steel and Alloys and a Ph.D in Technical Sciences from the Lomonosov State Institute of Fine Chemical Technology in Moscow. However, his love for arts brought him back to his craft full-time. He began experimenting first with watercolor, but now paints almost exclusively with oil or acrylic on canvas. Though never classically trained, Lysakov studied Rembrandt’s and Bryullov’s techniques. A self-taught artist, he read books incessantly, and spent hours upon hours in museums. In 1987, he became a founding partner of the first truly independent artists’ union, “Arbatr.” He created history again in 2001 when, for the first time, a graduate student dedicated her entire master’s thesis to a living artist. Lysakov has enjoyed a quick rise in the international art world, and is particularly renowned in Russia and Europe. He has participated in several prestigious exhibitions and auctions in Russia, Germany, France and Italy and was named one of “The Best European Artists” in 1991.
Now, Lysakov is pleased to formally introduce his work to the American public. He has a vast personal collection, but only a select 40 paintings will be immediately available for sale. They range in image size from a humble 14x14 to a majestic 58x50. All are offered at an extremely low edition size of 395 Giclée Canvas Prints and 30 Artist Proofs. Each image is personally hand-signed by the artist himself. Check out his gallery. It's an incredible piece of art!
LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.
posted by PabloPabla at 3:07 pm
PayPerPost will be announcing some great news in the coming weeks. The thing is, these guys ain't saying what they have up their sleeves. So far, the folks at PayPerPost have not failed to surprise their posties and advertisers with their innovative ways to create win-win situations for all parties.
When I first joined PayPerPost, it was a relatively straight forward earn as your post kinda programme. Back then, they have an affilliate scheme where the referrers earn a small amount for every new postie recruited. They then came up with big badges to make the PayPerPost programme more prominent.
Next came the referrer programme with badges which can appear just after every post in a postie's blog. This enables readers who have yet to join PayPerPost to post about the post which they have just read and get paid for it whilst the original postie also gets paid. Simple isn't it?
Then, the opps also came with higher payouts. The biggest I have seen so far is $1000 for 100 words! Those with qualified
blogs would be able to take up this opportunity. I don't. But it is quite common to see high paying opps nowadays which is usually tied to the advertiser's requirements. The more popular websites according to google pr and alexa ranking would require higher payouts. As for the advertiser, they now have a choice of whom they would like to blog about their services or products.
As for the new surprises in store, perhaps they will have a competition to see who can post the most number of opps within a given period. Or perhaps, allow advertisers to vote for their favourite postie. Perhaps posties with higher number of tacks or votes by advertisers would be paid higher per post. Or maybe, they will just give each outstanding postie a big bonus of say $100! Muahahahahaha! One can not predict what these guys are up to because they are simply innovative.
posted by PabloPabla at 3:02 pm
Thank God there's Air Asia to the rescue. I've to go to Kota Bahru for a trial on the 1st March, 2007 and I just found out this morning that the early morning flight on Malaysia Airlines is fully booked. Not even a business class seat available. It's kinda odd because the KL - Kota Bahru sector is not usually fully booked, especially on weekdays. I found this out when I was at the Malaysia Airlines sales office this morning and whilst waiting for my turn (the counter was really slow), I decided to check out the flight schedule using one of the computer terminals available. Imagine my horror to find that the next flight available is after 10am. So, I quickly opened another browser window and got myself into Air Asia's website and searched for an early morning flight.
Thanks to Malaysia Airlines' computer terminal, I was able to confirm that Air Asia has seats available at 7.20am! Woohoo!
Saturday, February 24, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 11:55 pm
I realised from my statscounter that most of the traffic to my blogs come during office hour on weekdays. That set me wondering whether most of my readers access my blog from their workplace. I confess that I also access the internet from my workplace. I guess it is no surprise because studies have shown that many employees actually surf the net during working hours.
For employers, that can be worrying because they do not know what their employees are up to. It would be fine if research relevant to work is done over the internet but not when it is used to surf non-work related stuffs. Hence, employers could look into
internet monitoring softwares from companies like Spectorsoft. Some of these softwares enable full tracking abilities like analysing data of sites surfed by employees and even having copies of emails forwarded to the employers. Basically, it is akin to the employer standing next to the employee and watching everything that the employee is doing. Such is the tracking capability of these products from Spectorsoft that Spector Pro (one of their internet monitoring products) was awarded the Editor's Choice for Best Monitoring Software twice by PC Magazine. Employees better watch out what they do whilst on the pc. Every keystroke could be monitored indeed!
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 11:39 pm
Could this be United's year? They just beat Fulham 2-1 to go 9 points clear of 2nd placed Chelsea. And it wasn't an easy game as the winning goal scored by Cristiano Ronaldo only came in at the 89th minute. Fulham gave United a difficult match and could have won the game but United's resilience when it mattered most was crucial. This win would definitely heap more pressure on Chelsea to win their remaining games as they play catch up with not many games left towards the end of the season.
Incidentally and talking about United, my trip to Kuching was on board a United plane. It's an Air Asia Airbus 320 painted in full Manchester United colours with the team's badge prominently placed on the tail. I took a quick snap of the players' signatures as I was leaving the plane. I am unable to upload the pictures now but will do so when I get back to Kuala Lumpur.
Meanwhile, let's see how Chelsea fare against Arsenal. Funnily though, I would rather Arsenal win than Chelsea...
posted by PabloPabla at 11:28 pm
HealthAdel is a new site which strives to promote an easy understanding of health issues faced by many people. One of the biggest health problems faced by the world today is drug addiction and HealthAdel provides
facts about drug rehab. This sort of information would benefit those who are seeking ways to overcome their drug addiction. Apart from providing facts about drug rehab, HealthAdel also gives brief write-ups about health issues such as the benefits of stem cell research, whether homeopathic medicine works and whether dental implants are safe. These issues are quite relevant and of interest to many. As HealthAdel is still a new site, it does not provide comprehensive information on many other issues. However, it is probably just a matter of time before other interesting health issues are highlighted on this site. I also feel that in order to convince readers of its qualification to offer these health advice, it would be better if the authors and their qualification are identified.
Friday, February 23, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 11:40 pm
Wah! I got a blown up nose during this Chinese New Year when I opened up my email box. Apparently, PPP has recognised me (ahem!) as an outstanding PPP Postie and thus, my posts are now auto-approved by the system. These guys at PPP really know how to make their posties feel good.
I mean, they are one of the most innovative lot and I dare say, their programme is probably the market leader at this point of time. If you are a blogger and you have yet to join the bandwagon as a PPP Postie, why not just sign up and give it a try and see what is all this fuss about. Just write one post and see if it is worth the while. To sign up, you can just click on any of the PPP buttons or adverts which appear on this site. Better still, just click on the "review my post" badge below this post and write a review about this very post that you are reading. PPP will pay you $7.50 for doing that. Serious!
posted by PabloPabla at 11:13 pm
I am not at all able to play any musical instruments but I do like music a lot. Not that I like
Metalcore Artists but I am more of a jazz music lover. However, just like what is seen in American Idol and their licensed counterparts in other countries, there are many aspiring musicians all around the world waiting to get their big break to be a well-known musician. Noticing this need, Unsigned Entertainment has created a website which allows aspiring musicians to be discovered.
For bands and solo artistes, Unsigned Entertainment gives them an opportunity to be listened to by an ever growing based on listeners and perhaps, garner a fan base as well. There are so many genres available and of course, I was naturally attracted to the independant jazz artistes and bands. Some of them are quite good and I guess it won't be long before they are eventually discovered by some talent scouts from the big record companies who will contact them for possibility of a professinal contract.
Apart from jazz and metalcore, the other genres available include Christian songs, Acoustic, Hip Hop, Reggae, Rock, Blues and Pop. In fact, there are so many genres that some of them are completely alient to me. I think I must go and inform one of my cell members who is into guitar playing. Who knows, he might get a big break sending his works up to Unsigned Entertainment!
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 10:37 pm
There is a new site on the net and it is called Eye Contact Guide. Calling itself the contact lenses consumer guide, it strives to search the internet for the best deals on
contact lenses and delivers them to their readers. Updated weekly, they hope that their readers can find the hottest prices in one place, thus saving the readers the hassle of checking hundreds of websites themselves.
According to Eye Contact Guide, their goals are to provide the best deals for purchasing contact lenses to their readers, consolidate the latest information on contact lenses from across the web into one site and develop a readership of users. Over and above and in addition to finding the best prices on contact lenses, Eye Contact Guide also attempts to delivers the latest industry news and keep their readers updated on changes in the industry that affect them. The Guide’s next goal is to create a blog to ensure that this news is updated and stored in an easy recognizable form for its readers.
I checked out their site and was impressed with the information available on the use of contact lenses, types of contact lenses available in the market, types of vision disorders faced by people, helpful tips on nutrition and care for eyes, eye problems and diseases amongst other things. For instance, I didn't know that there are theatrical or crazy contact lenses in existence until I read about them in the Eye Contact Guide. Apparently, these are contact lenses which give special effects like gremlin-look contact lenses, spiral designed contact lenses and pink rave contact lenses which glow in backlight!
However, I think the Eye Contact Guide could do with more exposure to the different brands of contact lenses available in the market. A brand as big as Bausch & Lomb is surprisingly not highlighted by the Eye Contact Guide, which makes me wonder if they have actually conducted a comprehensive search in the internet for the best deal available. Perhaps, if there are any difficulties arising which prevent them from highlighting other brands in the market, the Eye Contact Guide should make a statement so as to dispel suspicion that they are actually a sponsored site by the four brands highlighted by them.
LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.
posted by PabloPabla at 10:11 pm
As I have blogged previously, we refinanced our home
mortgage at the end of last year. The primary reason for our refinancing was to take advantage of the current loan offers available in the market. When we financed our home back in 2001 (when we bought our home), the loan package then was a pure loan package with little advantages and flexibility compared to what is offered nowadays. It was then a loan package based on monthly rests and additional payments are deemed as pre-payments without any reduction in the principal sum.
With the new loan package, however, we now have an all-in-one account. Basically, the loan account is merged with a current account. Whatever sum of monies put into the loan account will be used to pay the loan instalment first and any surplus will go towards reduction of the principal sum. That way, the interest chargeable (which is on daily rest basis) is immediately reduced and at the end of the day, we are able to redeem our mortgage loan much faster compared to the original loan package. There is no penalty or notices required for the additional funds put into the current account unlike the original loan package. Such flexibility is definitely welcomed and if you are still stuck with the old type of mortgage account, you should seriously find out about the new packages available.
This is a sponsored post and the facts are real
posted by PabloPabla at 12:01 am
I
did this meme before but it was at my food blog. This time, I got tagged by glamourous
Paris Beaverbanks (stop saying you are not glam, lah! too modest lah you!) and I thought why not I share the other 5 non-food related things about me. Gives me a reason and topic to blog too. So here goes.
1. I went to and studied in 2 Kindies, 3 Primary School, 2 Secondary Schools, 2 Colleges and 2 Universities. I got kicked-out of them, you see. So, that's why I ended up in so many of them.
2. I hate maths. I don't know why I have to study useless things like pengamilan, dy dx and things like that (which I have now completely forgotten). I used to have nightmares about them during exam time. Really! Maybe that's why I ended up being a lawyer instead.
3. I am fascinated by planes. Especially commercial planes. So, I never get bored looking at planes when I am at the airport or when a plane flies overhead. My childhood ambition was to be a pilot. That's why! So, now I bore my pilot friends by asking them about flying everytime I talk to them.
4. I have no clue whatsoever about the term "blogging" about 15 months ago. Absolutely no clue though I have seen this word surfacing in the papers. I thought it was some hi-tech thingy. I then found out about it and here I am, typing away at 16 minutes after midnight...
5. My favourite toy when I was a child was Lego. These building blocks are awesome and I used to spend hours playing them myself...imagining I was the next architect or inventor or something. I think I passed it down to my siblings and frankly, I don't know what happened to them liao.
So, there you go. 5 things you tak tau about gua. Thing is, this meme has been flying around so much, I think many people have done it liao. I shall give it a rest this time.
Thursday, February 22, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 11:28 pm
Eagleoptics.com, an online and mail order shopping portal for quality optics offers a wide selection of equipment from every major manufacturer of visual optics. They take pride in featuring only those models which in their experience, represent the best performance and value in various categories suitable for the outdoor nature enthusiast.
Amongst the visual optics available include the ever impressive
leica binoculars. The Leica brand-name is not alien to visual optics enthusiasts including those familiar in the digital and analogue cameras field. With their excellent reputation in the manufacture of optic lenses, leica binoculars are sure to bring crisp and clear view to the viewer. This would be excellent for those who are nature hobbyists such as those who are into bird-watching. It is always a disappointment to be unable to capture the spectacular sight of the elusive bird when the binocular at hand does not reproduce crisp and clear pictures of the subject at hand. With leica, however, the user can be assured.
Eagle Optics take pride in their claim of fair, honest and knowledgeable service, extremely competitive prices and customer satisfaction which have ensured them as the leader in supplying optic equipment to birdwatchers, nature observers, and sports enthusiasts. They assure customers that they do not use any deceptive advertising gimmicks nor do they have any hidden handling, packing or shipping fees. Customers are also assured that they will not be charged for an item until it is actually shipped. With their aim to provide their customers the finest optical equipment with the best in customer service, and at substantial savings with our discount pricing, it is worth checking them out.
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 11:11 pm
Susan Nattrass is an Attorney at Law based in California and she has got a blog. After two years as co-owner of spa Violet in Cardiff, Susan D. Nattrass has sold her portion of the spa. She is expanding her law practice to focus on forming and operating California and Nevada limited liability companies and corporations as well as estate planning for families.
After a two-year venture as an entrepreneur and business owner, Nattrass gained firsthand experience and a heightened understanding of the systemic impact of laws governing small businesses. She also understands the practical need to establish successful business practices. Nattrass launched spa Violet in 2004 with business partner Loraine Dale Hall an aesthetician. Together, they opened spa Violet in Cardiff and Nattrass successfully set up and implemented the current spa Violet business model. Nattrass sold her half of spaViolet to Hall in December 2006.
A member of the California State Bar Association and Washington State Bar Association since 1994, before opening spa Violet, Nattrass served for as general counsel for Yes Television, Inc., and as counsel for the Law Offices of Dougherty and Hildre for five years. In additionto her business acumen, she has over 12 years experience in Employment Law and the legal and practical issues related to Asset Protection including Estate Planning and Business Formation.
With her blog, Susan is now able to share her expertise with the public and has given some valuable advice on areas such as 10 Costly Mistakes Before Entity Formation, Privacy Matters, 3 Compelling Reasons Not to Start Your Business as a Sole Proprietor, Asset Protection Planning and whether one should hire an Independant Contractor.
Not many Attorneys are able or willing to part with their experience and advice online with the public as it eats up into their professional time. However, I think Susan is going in the right direction and is serving the public in one way or another. Of course, in the United States, it is perfectly legal to do these kind of services which in a way, is self-promoting and can be seen as a way to advertise one's legal practice. Malaysian lawyers have yet to come to such a stage where full blown advertising is done. Perhaps it is time indeed.
LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.
posted by PabloPabla at 10:28 pm
Cisco is an internationally known name in the provision of networking for the internet. Founded in 1984, Cisco provides a range of products and services worldwide. One of the solutions provided is
Wifi. The Cisco Unified Wireless Network cost-effectively provides superior wireless security, management, deployment, radio frequency (RF) technology and mobility to help enable real time access to core business applications and deliver enterprise-class secure connectivity.
Apart from Wifi, Cisco also provides
video conferencing. By providing the necessary tools and expertise, customers can expect scalable and cost-effective video options for their organisations. Cisco is not all about Wifi and Video Conferencing, They also provide solutions for
VoIP,
Secure Networking and
Data Centre.
With such comprehensive provision of services and solutions, business organisations would certainly welcome their expertise as a one-stop centre like Cisco would be able to meet their every needs. The VOIP solutions provide for businesses with as few as 20 users up to more than 1000 users whilst the Secure Networking solutions defend the company's critical information and security system against internet worms and such. Finally, the Cisco Data Centre Network Architecture provides a framework and range of solutions that address the evolving role of your Data Centre and allow you to effectively align resources with the business priorities.
This is a sponsored post.
Friday, February 16, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 4:02 pm
This is my last post before the new year break.
It is going to be a long break indeed as I will be away in Kuching between the 19th till 28th Feb and will only be coming into office on the 2nd March. I don't think I will have much access to the internet whilst in Kuching but I will have access to lots of yummylicious food!
As it is right now, the traffic outside my office is jammed up and horns are blaring. It is the beginning of the exodus of people "balik kampung". If you are travelling on the road, do drive carefully and be alert. Hope you will have a good holiday!
posted by PabloPabla at 12:28 pm
One of the thrills of moving into a new house is to find
Home Lighting Fixtures. Well, honestly, it is not ALL thrilling because the stress of finding a suitable piece of lighting for one area of your house can be quite high if you are very particular about how the piece of lighting will blend with the area of the house. For instance,
kitchen lighting would definitely look very different from
bedroom lighting in terms of the design and brightness.
When my wife and I were shopping for lighting fixtures for our current home, we browsed through no less than 5 stores and ended up buying all our lighting needs from one store. It just so happen that they have all the lighting designs and functions that we require. Till today, we are happy with what we have purchased. Thank God for His guidance!
This sponsored post contains real facts
posted by PabloPabla at 10:59 am
I checked out my PPP dashboard and found out that the google ranking for this blog has gone from 4 to 0!!! What is happening? Is it because google don't like all these sponsored ads in my blog? But then again, when I used another google pr checker to check this blog's pr, it still shows 4. Gasps! I hope the pr stays at 4 or increases. I wanna make enough money to get myself a laptop for my work!!!
posted by PabloPabla at 10:51 am
Recently, I heard lilian's voice in her blog through her podcast. Actually, it is my very first time listening to a podcast. I have read about podcast but did not really try it out. Podcasts allow a blogger to deliver radio-styled shows over the internet. It's like blogging through speaking over the internet. In a way, it brings the blogger closer to their readers / listeners. Unlike streaming audio which requires listening in real time, podcasting allows the listener to choose when and how they want to listen.
To enable podcasting, MyPodcast.com offers
Free Podcast Hosting. With unlimited storage and unlimited bandwidth plus free membership, it sure is worth checking this out. And if you are still not convinced, how about moving your podcasts to their system and earn money straightaway? Go check it out now.
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 10:39 am
Today is the last working day before CNY holidays start. I will be away till the 1st March, 2007, spending most of the holidays in Kuching at my in-laws' place. I am looking forward to the hawker fare in Kuching really. My 4-heavenly-kings being the Sarawak Laksa, Kueh Chap, Kolo Mee and Tomato Kuey Teow. Just hope that the stalls will be open before I leave for KL on the 28th Feb.
Upon my return, I shall have to fly to Kota Bahru for a case the following morning. It's that same ol Kota Bahru case. The good thing is approximately 2/3 of the case has been settled. What remains is another 1/3. I just can't wait to get this case settled once and for all. Hope it will be a good CNY present then.
So, what will you be doing and going for CNY?
posted by PabloPabla at 10:21 am
Recently, there are some big money opps at PPP. The biggest must have been $1,000.00 to blog about some Rock Startup thingy. I don't qualify for that though because only bloggers who have blogs with very high ranking kind of google pr and alexa thingy will qualify. Wow! Imagine, a cool $1,000.00 to type out not more than 300 words! That's a monthly salary for many people!
So, what is this rage about someone who can
make money blogging? Some "traditionalists" do not see eye to eye with bloggers who make money out of blogging. They feel that blogging should remain non-commercialised. Well, they may have their point but I guess it is just different directions taken by different bloggers. For me, my blog is about whatever. Anything and everything that comes to my mind. And really, some of the opps available in PayPerPost actually allows me to express myself better.
I usually only choose posts which I can relate to my life experience. The financial posts I choose actually allowed me to share my experiences of how I went through using credit cards as well as refinancing my mortgage. So, it is still relevant, just that I get paid for writing them. Why complaint?
Lately however, PayPerPost allows segmentation whereby the advertisers are able to choose their ideal bloggers to blog about their products or services. I guess if one is going to pay top dollar, it is fair that they get to choose their target audience and bloggers. I confess that I was one of the advertisers who used the segmentation facility. When I wanted to create a buzz about my food blog, I decided to restrict the bloggers to those residing in the USA and Europe because I wanted to share Asian cuisine with non-Asians. And true enough, after the exercise, I got some additional traffic from USA and Europe. The other plus point I find with advertising through PayPerPost is that the commission which they charge is on the overall, lower than those I have encountered. Hence, I have not tried advertising through other blogging for money programmes.
So, if you intend to see what PayPerPost has to offer to you as a blogger or even as an advertiser, do check them out. You can just click on the "sponsor" post below or the badge on the right hand side of this blog.
posted by PabloPabla at 10:19 am
I am back at my office...from court actually. Case is being postponed for 1 1/2 hour because the Magistrate has to attend a briefing. So, I am supposed to be back in Court at 11.30am. Since my office is just a walking distance from the Court, I am fortunate to be able to pop into office, check my mail and get some things done...including blogging! LOL! Wait, there's a good op coming. Better go check it out.
Thursday, February 15, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 3:41 pm
Chinese New Year is just 3 days away. Most people are doing last minute shopping. I was out doing last minute shopping during lunch hour just now. Well, not for myself but to get a hamper for a client. My bosses and I were pondering over a number of hampers wondering which is most suitable for our client. Invariably, however, I noticed that most if not all of the hampers would include a packet of goji berries.
Goji Berries are a firm favourite amongst the Chinese community as it is known as a powerful antioxidant. With 19 amino acids, 21 trace minerals, 6 essential fatty acids, Vitamins B1, B2, B6, C and E, 4 unique polysaccharides, linoleic acid and iron, amongst others, you bet this Goji Berry is gonna boost one's health. The Chinese have been consuming this berry for hundreds of years and it appears extensively in nourishing herbal soups as well as other recipes. It must be good indeed. I always have some in my kitchen. Sometimes I just pop a couple of these berries into my vegetable stir fries to add a bit of colour, taste and added nutrition to the dish.
Goji Berries are slightly sweetish in flavour and can be eaten raw though most of it comes in dried form. Today, you can get
Goji Juice, for ready absorption of this remarkable natural produce. Organically cultivated in the Himalayas, the
Goji Berry Juice is officially certified as chemical and contaminant free. Part of the process includes shaking the berries off the vines as touching them causes them to lose some of its nutritional potency. With such ease of having Goji Berries in juice form, I am sure these berries will become more and more well-known in the world. Let's just hope the price does not increase too much due to the demand!
LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.
posted by PabloPabla at 11:34 am
I opened my PPP dashboard today to discover that I've achieved 5 tacks status. That's a real encouragement to know that my sponsors are happy with what I am doing so far. Woopee! On another note, however, I do realise that the quality of my blog has suffered a bit in terms of the non-sponsored posts. It is a bit hard to juggle especially when blogging remains a part-time kinda activity.
Hmm....how should I resolve this? Should I have a dedicated blog for non-sponsored stuffs and keep this blog for sponsored stuffs? What a dilemma...
posted by PabloPabla at 11:07 am
Fancy a nose job? Some people who have breathing difficulties may require a corrective nose surgery to remedy the difficulties faced. Breathing problems may be one of them. Some however, chose to undergo a rhinoplasty to enhance they look of their nose. Apparently, some nose are better looking than other types of nose. I guess amongst Asians, the Causasian type of nose is more desirable (at least, aesthetically speaking).
With the latest technologies and modern science, rhinoplasty is now becoming more common and accessible. This includes in those who are looking for
Beverly Hills rhinoplasty. Rodeo Drive's plastic surgeon will examine and discuss recommendations to their prospective clients on the best rhinoplasty technique for the issue or problem at hand.
I am quite surprised that rhinoplasty is usually done as an outpatient, under general anesthesia. However, there would be some discomfort and swelling following the surgery. Rhinoplasty can reduce or increase the size of one's nose, change the shape of the tip or the bridge, narrow the span of the nostrils or change the angle between the nose and the upper lip. It can also correct a birth defect or injury.
As for me, I have quite a flat nose but I am okay with it. It still functions and I think I would definitely look very different if I were to go under the knife. I think those who intend to go through rhinoplasty will do well if they seek professional counselling on their mental readiness to do something to their nose. As such, Rodeo Drive advises good communication between the patient and the physician.
LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.
Wednesday, February 14, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 5:00 pm
Having read
5xmom's call for us to use
Outpost to pimp our blog, I dutifully followed her. After all, I've been learning so much from her on blogging and if she's doing it, it must be worth something lah. No doubt it was a sponsored post for her but I think this directory is quite interesting - it has pictures of the members and has rss snippets. Not just plain text and stats. So, it gives members added exposure and at the same time, makes surfers more attracted to the sites in the directory.
Perhaps,
Petaling Street or even
Frenzrss (the latter a brainchild of
5xmom and
Wingz) could do like wise and allow the insertion of avatars. What say you?
posted by PabloPabla at 3:05 pm
Just the other day when we were spring cleaning the house in preparation for Chinese New Year, we discovered that one of the wardrobe doors had some mold on the inner side. I guess the recent rainy season must have brought additional humidity resulting in the mold. Well, just a wipe and it's gone. In places like New Jersey, mold can be a problem and that's why companies like Advanced Mold Diagnostics LLC, a
Pennsylvania Mold Inspector helps. These guys conduct mold inspection, mold remediation and mold testing. One of the secrets is in their
use of dogs to detect and locate the source of mold!
Talk about man's best friend! Way to go! I just hope these guys reward their star dogs well!
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 2:39 pm
I created an op on PPP yesterday. I put in $50 into my advertiser account and created an op to buzz about my food blog. There were 5 ops created and so far at this point of writing, 4 ops have been taken up. I like 3 of the ops and I think they wrote reasonably well. However, the other blogger merely wrote a couple of sentences and then copied the rest of my "op description"!. He must be hogging the op for himself! Thing is, we've to wait till the PPP team discovers it and give that blogger a whacking...unless he modifies his post soon enough.
No wonder some of the posts on PPP are taken up so fast. It is very difficult to write something decent for the advertiser unless you have ample time to browse through their targeted site and look for suitable contents or information. PPP ought to do something about this. Perhaps, allow advertisers to do the "whacking and slapping" instead!
posted by PabloPabla at 2:31 pm
Thankfully, I have not been getting any sore neck recently. It happens once in a while and the saying "Pain in the Neck" really means something. Especially when you are trying to turn from one side to another. Some say the pillow or even sleeping position causes the sore. Some have such sore necks or even sore backs that they have to resort to seeing a chiropractor. For those in New York, they have a choice of seeing the
New York Physical Therapy Office for the latest treatment.
The
New York Physical Therapy Office is touted as New York City’s premier treatment center for sports medicine, physical therapy and rehabilitation. I guess if they are good in treating sports related disorders, it should be a piece of cake to sort out a simple sore neck!
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 12:54 pm
Plastic Surgery is big business. And not exactly cheap either. For me, plastic surgery may be a necessity following a mishap where the person has been disfigured or requires surgery to hide certain laceration or operational scars. I have come across many cases involving road accident victims where their faces or limbs have been disfigured or scarred - mostly permanent. Some of the victims are young and these scars will remain with them for the rest of their lives.
Nowadays, plastic surgery is also associated with wanting to look good or to preserve one's youthfulness. It is a billion dollar industry and more and more plastic surgery centres are sprouting around the world. In Beverly Hills, California,
Los Angeles Plastic Surgery is one such center which offers plastic surgery with promises of the highest standards in taste and service. Some of the services provided include Tummy Tuck or Abdominoplasty, Liposuction, Breast Augmentation, Facelift, Eyelid surgery, Browlift and nose reshaping.
Frankly, I don't know why people resort to these kind of plastic surgery as I believe it is a waste of time. However, I guess it serves these people's needs - which are to look good and to enhance their lifestyle. Whether it will ultimately bring them happiness is for the individuals to experience for themselves. One just needs to look at Michael Jackson and see what a mess he has done to his face.
LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.
Tuesday, February 13, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 4:03 pm
VoIP or Voice Over Internet Protocol is fast becoming the preferred form of telecommunications by reason of its low costs. With certain plans, you get up to 50% savings on your phone bill by choosing this method of communication.
Vonage is one company that offers VoIP services.
For instance, the Vonage Domestic Plan for the UK only costs 5.99 pound sterling a month for unlimited calls to the UK and Ireland (subject to some terms and conditions). For an additional 2 pound sterling, one gets unlimited calls to the UK, USA, Canada, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Germany, Finland, Czech Republic, Poland and Hungary. Do check it out.
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 3:38 pm
I just had an eight course lunch with a mug of beer, 4 glasses of chinese tea and 1 glass of water. Kind of a pre-CNY lunch with yee sang at the Royal Selangor Club. Now, it's getting really hard to concentrate on work liao...
Sometimes I think we Chinese do over indulge in food and put our bodies under unnecessary strain. Of course, we have a choice of not eating but when the host insists that you have the next helping, it would be rude to say no. But I guess, this is what hospitality is all about. Malaysians, and not just the Malaysian Chinese, like to entertain people with food. Food brings people together, or so they say.
Well...yeah. It brought us together. We had a good time chatting as well. And now, each of us are half-dozing whilst digesting...
posted by PabloPabla at 3:29 pm
My parents just bought a new settee at home to replace the 16 year old settee. It was delivered last night and looks good and refreshing. It is always nice to have new
furniture at home but the process of looking for a suitable piece for the home can be very challenging and daunting indeed! Imagine having to travel from one shop to another, finding a place to park, walk till your legs ache and be unable to compare at a glance between one piece of furniture and another. That was the nightmare my wife and I had when we were shopping for furniture for our home 3 years back.
Fortunately, there's online shopping for
furniture available nowadays where one can shop from the comfort of one's home or office. At
Great Priced Furniture, an extensive range of furniture from bedroom to children's to living and dining furniture are available. But that is only some. There are more and that includes home office as well as budget furniture. The furniture is also sorted according to the manufacturers to enable shoppers to zoom in directly to their favourite manufacturers and their displayed goods for sale. Shopping for furniture will never be the same again!
This is a sponsored post
Monday, February 12, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 3:45 pm
By chance, I stumbled upon another site that helps internet users make money. Introducing
SlashMySearch.Com. This is how it works:-
- Sign up and you will be given a unique ID and URL. When you sign up, indicate whether you wish to be paid by cheque or paypal.
- Use the unique URL as your homepage. Basically, the unique URL is a search page. Whenever you search for something on the net using SlashMySearch.Com's search engine, you get paid.
- Next, promote SlashMySearch.Com and whoever signs up through your links will be registered as your referrals. You will earn a commission. Like a pyramid scheme.
I tried by doing a search on Manchester United and got paid USD0.04 for it. I think the income will definitely be faster than Google Adsense. If you do extensive searches on the net as part of your studies or work, you should seriously consider signing up. I have done so and if you are convinced enough to give it a try, just click
here.
posted by PabloPabla at 3:07 pm
Have you heard of BLRs or Base Lending Rates? Variable Rate? Fixed Rate? These are terms oft used in mortgage facilities specifically referring to
Mortgage Rates. For most, if not all borrowers, the
mortgage rate ranks high on the reasons for the taking up of a mortgage facility from one bank as against another. How does one check and compare the rates then?
Well, one way is to obtain the rates from the financial institutions and compare them head on. For instance, if one bank is offering mortgage interest rate at 6% per annum whilst the other is offering at 6.05% per annum, it is quite obvious that the former is offering a better rate. However, for most borrowers, the mortgage rate quoted might not be an impressive as when a
mortgage calculator is used to determine the actual amount of interest a borrower is expected to pay by the time the mortgage is fully redeemed. The actual dollars and cents will be quantified and you will be able to assess whether the quoted package is the best for your needs.
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 3:03 pm
Why? Because after the Z-List circulation for the past one week, this blog has got at least 7 new links through the Z-list. Looks like it is working...though in terms of traffic, it hasn't really made any difference because I do not detect any visitors coming to this site through the Z-list.
But actually, given a choice, I would rather the Z-list contain a link to my food blog instead. Afterall, that blog is a paid blog in the sense that the domain and hosting was purchased rather than free. Oh well, I can't have everything, can I? Right now, I will just wait and see if my google pr for this site will increase because of this Z-list thingy...
posted by PabloPabla at 2:09 pm
I once tried to sell off my car...well, my wife's car actually...well, let's just say, WE tried to sell 0ur car when we purchased our new Toyota Avanza. To save on advertising costs, we tried advertising on the net instead as some of these car classifieds are free on the net.
Lemon.free is one such free
Cars For Sale site.
It is quite user friendly. The main page itself is search page. Just scroll to the make, model, year, country and province you are looking for and the search engine will do its job. A search for the ever popular
Toyota Corolla revealed a whopping 708780 listings at this point of writing!!! Some of the search results come with photographs for a better appreciation of the cars on sale. You will also get details of the car involved eg. colour, fuel type, engine size and condition. It depends on the seller whether more information is given. Apart from the same, browsers are also given a comparison of the car searched as against a rival car (in this instance, the Matrix 1.8L) in terms of fuel economy.
For sellers, the listing process looks simple enough with a ready-made form which you can fill in all the essential information as well as uploading of photographs. It just takes a few minutes and your advertisement will be up.
Lemonfree.com also offers some useful advice against scams and frauds in order to protect those who list their vehicles for sale or those who intend to purchase vehicles. This is a step in the right direction and definitely helps those who are transacting for the first time.
This is a sponsored post.
posted by PabloPabla at 10:57 am
Are you a Pig? If you are, chances are you are one lucky person. No, this is not from me but from the chinese horoscope. Hence, according to a Reuters report:-
Pig baby boom
Feb 12, 2007
A mini baby boom is taking place in China, as women attempt to have their children during the auspicious Year of the Pig.
Maternity wards have been inundated with pregnant mums, hoping to give birth after Feb 18.
According to the Chinese horoscope, the pig is particularly lucky, and this Lunar New Year is especially auspicious as it happens to be the Year of the Golden Pig.
--Reuters
Phoar! It is too good to be true. I mean, it has got to be taken just with a pinch of salt. Just imagine this, assuming there is a baby boom for the year 2007. In 7 years' time, the number of kids entering Standard One would be sizeable indeed. And these kids gotta compete with one another like siao year after year. And later, when they reach 18 years old, they have to compete for that few places in university. You call that lucky? I see it more like cruelty instead.
These parents to be will be creating unnecessary pressure on themselves trying to conceive a baby within the window period to ensure that their baby becomes a "piggy". Many a times, people have asked us when are we having our third baby and trying to encourage us by saying that the next baby will be a boy (we have 2 girls). They meant well and we have no quarrels with that. But really, babies are God's gift and it is not up to us to choose how or what they will turn out to be. In fact, the whole process of conception is a miracle in itself if one is to find out how difficult and complex the process is. Many have also expressed surprise when they hear our response on our "choice" in this matter.
God knows best. Whether it is a pig or a rat or a boar or whatever, it is the best gift He could give...if only you will open your eyes to see!
posted by PabloPabla at 10:10 am
One of the many causes of broken families are addiction to drugs or alcohol. In many instances, I believe that this can affect the children who may, in turn, turn to drugs and alcohol addiction themselves. It is thus important that those who are addicted turn to
drug rehab or alcohol rehab centres to help them get their lives back.
The Watershed, incorporated in February of 1998 by a small group of addiction professionals and investors in order to meet a chronic and desperate need for addiction treatment services, offers a simple
online assessment to determine if one is addicted to drinking or drugs. Whilst the assessment may not be a 100% diagnosis of a person's addiction or perceived addiction, it forms a useful guide for the person to see if further referral is necessary.
Tell-tale signs and symptoms of alcoholism and drug addiction are also clearly set out in their site. They also have counsellors who are reachable by phone or online chat 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. If you are keen to serve and committed to caring, Watershed also offers employment opportunities with competitive and excellent benefits package.
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 10:08 am
When I tried to log into blogger this morning, I realised I have been cornered. All these while, I have not upgraded this site to the new blogger (beta). But no, this morning, I had no choice but to click yes. Otherwise, there is no way I could have got in.
Now I shall have to explore what this new blogger brings...
posted by PabloPabla at 9:54 am
PayPerPost is fast taking the internet by storm. With its innovative advertising - blogging win-win situation scheme, bloggers have found a way to may side income by blogging about things they love and advertisers get massive audience for their products / service when bloggers blog about them. The potential for
ad network is only limited by one's imagination.
After PPP became famous and many bloggers and advertisers signed up with them, out came similar schemes in the internet, such as Loudlaunch.com and Blogsvertise.com. What sets PayPerPost apart from the others is its innovation and creativity. The team at PayPerPost never fails to come up with new ideas which excite their advertisers and bloggers. For instance, there was an op about the HP Camera which came in puzzles. Each piece of the 30 pieces puzzle is revealed over a period of time and bloggers would be putting this puzzle in their blogs. Apart from the buzz created, the first person who can track all 30 pieces of puzzles all over the internet wins a prize!
One of the latest innovation from the guys at PayPerPost is "Review My Post". See the badge below this post? What does it mean? Well, if you are a blogger who is not already a PayPerPost member (membership of which is free), just click on the "Review My Post" badge and it will take you to a registration page.
Register yourself and if you meet the minimum qualifications of being a PayPerPost postie, you can start your very first assignment of reviewing this very post you are reading. Maybe, say something about what attracted you to this post and how you have been impressed by PayPerPost. When you assignment (post) is accepted by PayPerPost, you get paid $7.50 and so do I! Simple, isn't it?
The "Review My Post" badge can be programmed to appear in all of a blogger's posts just like how it appears in my blog here. So, technically, all my posts are opportunities for new recruits! What are you waiting for? Start reviewing!
Friday, February 09, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 5:03 pm
You have heard of fake clothings, fake accessories, fake this and that. Now, presenting the latest fake in town :- Fake toothpaste! Yes, that cream you put onto your toothbrush which you then apply over your teeth and brush away could be fake! This unscrupulous people has no conscience at all! How dare they make fake toothpaste and pass them off as the real thing? God knows what kind of ingredients are inside and whether they may be harmful to health.
In case you are wondering what brand of toothpaste I am talking about, well
the Star reported as follows:-
Friday February 9, 2007
PORT KLANG The Selangor Domestic Trade and Consumer Affairs Department seized a container carrying 784 cartoons of imitation Pepsodent toothpaste at Northport on Thursday.
The department’s enforcement chief Rosle Hamid said enforcement officers had been monitoring the container for three weeks before finally opening it up.
"We received a tip off and had been monitoring the container to nab the importer, but so far, no one has come to claim the consignment," Rosle told a press conference at the Customs Department warehouse near here Friday.
The imitation toothpaste, which appeared to have been manufactured in Indonesia, had arrived at Northport from China, said Rosle.
He added that the retail price for the seized items were about RM40,000.
According to Rosli, the department would continue with its investigations to weed out the importer of the seized toothpaste.
"We will be looking into the shipping documents to find out who brought the consignment in," he said, adding that action would be instituted against the culprit under the Trade Description Act.
Do you use Pepsodent? I don't. I use Colgate. But even now, I shall be looking at my toothpaste with suspicion!
Technorati Tags: Toothpaste, Pepsodent, Colgate, Toothbrush, Oral, Hygiene
posted by PabloPabla at 4:47 pm
When dad bought the current apartment where he is staying now in 1984, he took up a
home mortgage to finance the purchase. Just before I went to the United Kingdom to read for my law degree, dad arranged for
Mortgage Refinance in order to finance my studies. What happens is that the apartment is refinanced with a higher sum so that the additional monies could be utilised for my studies.
Likewise, such
mortgage refinancing can be utilised for a host of other reasons - eg. to finance a business venture, to obtain a different overdraft line etc. Sometimes, it is done so as to take advantage of the prevailing rates which may have reduced considerably compared to the original rates the mortgage was under.
It certainly makes sense to continue to explore one's options.
This post is sponsored
posted by PabloPabla at 3:47 pm
Today's top search and tag on Technorati is none other than Anna Nicole Smith. Why? In case you STILL don't know why, she passed away yesterday. No, I don't know why she passed away and I am not that interested to know why. I just know that she was a famous model and that's about it. But what fascinates me is how much people get drawn to these famous people (Beckhams and the like) and what is happening in their lives.
Does it really matter to have to find out about these people's lives? Is it satisfying or fulfilling to dig for the latest gossips or even embarrassing photo shots of these celebrities? I am sure there are more thrilling and meaningful things to be doing than to find out about these celebrities' lives. How about finding out how your colleague is doing? Or your neighbour? When was the last time you actually speak to them to want to know them better? With concern...not with an aim to dig "stories" for you to pass them around like hot cakes.
Sometimes, I shake my head when the morning news on Light FM have a one-liner piece of news about what so-and-so celebrity was doing etc. Commercialism must have taken place as I am sure there are many people waiting to hear just that bit of news.
Ah...so, are you a celebrity news chaser?
Technorati Tags: Anna, Nicole, Smith, Celebrity, Celebrities, News
posted by PabloPabla at 1:01 pm
With the big jump in the Kuala Lumpur Stock Exchange index, I am sure some people have been making a handsome profit and will have extra money to spend this coming Chinese New Year. As for others, they may still need to rely on
personal loans or
mortgages to tide over. Consumers should
compare loans before deciding which loan package is the most appropriate for their needs. The number of loan packages available in the market is so big and varied that most consumers seeking a loan for the first time would be at a lost with the various financial terminologies used and the varying interest rates charged by one financial institution to another.
Sometimes, financial institutions promise lots of free gifts to entice consumers to take up their loan packages. However, if you were to make an in-depth enquiry on the terms and conditions applicable as well as rates and charges involved, you may be invariably taking a small part of the loan to finance the "free gifts" offered! It certainly does not make sense to be paying a slightly higher percentage in terms of the interest charged to get a free television compared to another loan package with lesser interest rate but with no free gifts offered.
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 11:48 am
After Form 5, students might want to consider enrolling in toilet hygiene classes at Malaysian colleges, if Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Robert Lau's statement is true. Below is the report:-
Malaysia Weighs College Bathroom Courses
It's never too late for toilet training. Some Malaysian colleges may soon offer courses on how to keep public restrooms clean, the national news agency reported Thursday.
The effort is meant to help Malaysia's public lavatories become as hygienic as those in countries such as Britain and Singapore, Deputy Housing and Local Government Minister Robert Lau was quoted as saying by Bernama news agency.
"Clean toilets cannot merely be judged by the eyes," Lau was quoted as saying. "This matter also involves the use of cleaning equipment, soap, fragrances and proper tissues."
Courses would involve managing washrooms by the highest standards in design and sanitation technology, said Lau.
Malaysia's government recently said it wanted to start a "toilet revolution" in a country where public restrooms have long nauseated citizens and tourists with their lack of basic items such as toilet paper, soap and sometimes even toilet seats.
Other recent measures have included setting up modern self-cleaning toilets in popular shopping districts of Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia's largest city, and scrapping the business licenses of restaurants found to have foul lavatories. Lau said his ministry plans to soon introduce a system for the public to lodge complaints about filthy toilets via cell phone text messages. [
source]
I think this kind of training starts at home and from young. It is a habit. Not some action which can be programmed. If a child is taught from young not to waste water and do not leave the tap running, it is highly likely that the child will grow up with this habit. And do you seriously think the college students will take this "toilet" course seriously? As seriously as if they were studying other academic subjects? And what kind of diplomas or degrees are they going to confer? Degree in Toilet Hygiene (Hons)??? Perhaps then spouses to be will insist that their other half come qualified with a First Class Hons in Toilet Hygiene, else the house toilet will be a real mess!
posted by PabloPabla at 9:21 am
These days, financial institutions are getting ingenious in their ways in lending money for a big profit. One of these ways is to offer
Cash Advance or
Check Cash Advance to Credit Card holders. I mean, I have received a couple of checks from my credit card issuing bank made out in my favour begging for me to cash them out so that I can "realise" my dreams of that exotic holiday or 34" plasma TV. There are even promises of reduced interest rates chargeable on the cash advance facility.
But then again, nothing comes free, especially when it is from the financial institutions. It is therefore important that one obtains full information and make the necessary inquiries with the financial institutions or financial advisers such as
Payday Cash Advance Loans before taking up such offers.
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 9:11 am
After the scare yesterday, I got a reply from Loudlaunch.com and they resent the payment to me via PayPal again. Well, at least they are not unscrupulous people capitalising on people's mistake. In fact, I got a reply from them within 2 hours of my s-o-s email.
However, my only gripe with Loudlaunch.com is their lack of opportunities to post compared to PPP. I guess most advertisers would go for PPP as they are more in control of the "tone" of the postings to be made eg. positive, neutral or negative. On the other hand, Loudlaunch.com's advertisers cannot insist on how the post will turn out. If you have a bad product and the posties give you a negative review, too bad.
posted by PabloPabla at 8:30 am
I joined PPP sometime in late November with a sense of uncertainty whether this programme actually pays me for blogging. After my first post was approved, I was thrilled and awaiting with anticipation my payment which would have been credited to my PayPal account in 30 days' time. You can just imagine how happy I was when the first payment got through and I then knew, this is true and it's not a scam or something.
Since then, I've earned about USD200.00...not as much as some other bloggers have (some make about USD1000 a month) but it is enough to keep me happy. After all, this is just a hobby and I still have my full time work to deal with. Having earned the money, I then ventured into buying my own domain for my own blog called
Hochiak! Delicious Asian Food and got it hosted, all for less than USD90.00. I mean, without these monies from PPP, I would not have parted away with cash or even used my credit card to get my own domain and hosting package.
I now look forward to weekday postings on PPP. Oh, I don't have a computer at home. So, all these postings are done on weekdays in the office. It is satisfying to see a stream of posts approved waiting to be paid one after another. If you are into blogging, do give it a try.
As for the immediate plan ahead, I intend to continue with posting on PPP. I am even considering advertising! What I will do is to
advertise on blogs. That means, I put a sum of money into PPP and get people to write about my blog. When they write about my blog (say, a review or an opinion), they will refer to my blog and place a link there. This will invariably increase the visibility of my blog. Win win situation for them and I!
Thursday, February 08, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 10:17 am
Arrgghhhh!!!! I just denied a USD25.00 payment from Loudlaunch.com. Not on purpose but accidentally clicked the wrong button on the paypal panel. Boohoo! Frantically, I've sent emails to Loudlaunch hoping that they will resent the money over. Otherwise, that's approximately RM87.25 down the internet drain...
Makes me wonder, why paypal does not have a "confirmation" feature where if you were to click "deny", they will ask you one more time whether you are sure about it. Moreover, the "deny" and "accept" buttons are so close to each other that it is not unforeseen that users might click the wrong button. The thing is, if you were to click "accept", you are put to another page where you have to sort of confirm the acceptance.
Hope to receive an email from the folks at Loudlaunch.com soon...tomorrow perhaps, because it's now nite nite in the U S of A. So, all you who receive paypal funds...do ensure you click right!
Wednesday, February 07, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 4:17 pm
Poor Jamie Oliver. Having signed up as the frontman for Sainsburys, Asda has accused Jamie of being a "fake cockney"! This happened after Jamie had his chestnut and bacon recipe featured in a Sainsbury's ad before Christmas. Apparently, Jamie was accused by Asda's new marketing chief Rick Bendel of using fake Cockney accent to persuade people to eat them. Anyway, such controversies are bound to increase Jamie's popularity as a TV chef.
Talking about Jamie, was I in for a shock and disappointment when I switched on my telly to 8TV last night at 9.30 hoping to see what twist is Jamie delivering. What I got facing me was a lady with braces on her teeth which people call "Ugly Betty". Boohoohoo!!!!
Technorati Tags: Jamie Oliver, TV, Chef, Show, Sainsbury, Asda
posted by PabloPabla at 10:51 am
When I was in England reading law, I was planning for a trip at the end of my finals somewhere in Europe just before my graduation. Italy was one of the places I considered. I was fantasizing about strolling on the streets of Rome, visiting the Coliseum, taking a ride on the gondolas in Venice, eating authentic pizza made by Italian chefs and savouring spaghetti bolognese in Bologna itself. I was also dreaming of staying in one of those nice villas amidst the beautiful
Italian real estate whilst chomping down on Italian grapes. It was a trip which I was planning in anticipation of the arrival of my then girlfriend (now my wife) to attend my graduation. It was meant to be a surprise trip for her.
Well...it remained a fantasy because Italy was just a little too far and expensive for my budget. We ended up in Paris instead. Not too bad, isn't it?
This is a sponsored post and the Italian dream is still alive!
Tuesday, February 06, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 2:40 pm
I tell you...this blogging thing is being taken to new heights by PayPerPost folks. First, you get paid to blog about something. Then, you place a badge on your site and anyone who clicks on it and signs up will earn you some referral fees (thank you thank you to those who responded!). The folks have now gone another step further by putting "Review Me" badges just like the one you see below this post.
What does it mean? Well, if one of your readers click on it, signs up as a PayPerPost postie and blogs about that post of yours (whether it is a normal post or paid post), you earn a sum of money and so does the new PayPerPost recruit! So, if you are a PayPerPost postie, quick go to your dashboard and get the html to paste onto your site!
I'm going to faint with all these ways they are helping us posties! These guys are GREAT!
posted by PabloPabla at 2:16 pm
Casual gaming has now taken a further step with the introduction of free-online gaming at
Cafe.com.
Cafe.com's mission is to provide the best gameplay experience on the net for virtually free of charge! All you need is an internet connection.
Cafe.com brings together exciting casual games with state of the art 3D avatars, social networking and an item-based economy to reshape the way community games are played. Some of the games available include Space Dhoom (a shoot-em up game as a Starship captain), Music Connect (a challenging puzzle game that requires both thought and swiftness to achieve triumph), Ironsides (
naval warfare in the 18th century, when fleets of wooden ships bristling with cannons battle to see who can stay afloat and be deemed Captain of the high seas!) and Swordfish (where players navigate a series of falling colored blocks and fish hooks). More games are being developed and will be made available soon.
Part of the game experience allows you to choose from a wide range of gorgeous content and persona options. Cafe.com claims that it will bring a uniquely mainstream approach to cater to the needs of teens, adults and boomers too!
For a heightened game experience, players may purchase virtual objects to power-up their online character. In this respect, discretion is required and it is best not to blow away all your money spending on these purchases. Parents should keep an eye on their children in this respect. However, if there is no intention to purchase any of these objects, Cafe.com is a good place to experience online gaming.
LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on.
posted by PabloPabla at 12:43 pm
EPF has just declared a 5.15% dividend for EPF members' funds. All the money sitting there is not earning me enough interest compared to the interest rate chargeable by my housing
loan. So, shall I consider withdrawing it to reduce my
mortgage?
It looks like a sound idea. But actually, the current mortgage is actually a
remortgage which I took up recently to reduce the earlier
secured home loan which I used to purchase the place where I am staying now. I am now currently enjoying better rates and features in the current loan compared to the original loan. Interest rate is lower for the first couple of years.
I wonder if I would obtain substantial savings now if I were to withdraw some monies from EPF to reduce the current loan so that the interest calculated will be on a lower principal sum. Or will it be better to wait till the interest goes up on the current loan before I withdraw monies from EPF? Perhaps someone out there could help me. Or is it really the same?
And meantime, the papers are advertising more and more new
secured loans packages which also come with free gifts! It is truly shiok! for consumers to be able to pick and choose the best
loans available. If you are still using the old loan scheme which comes with interests calculated on monthly rests, you should seriously consider switching to current loans available.
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 10:18 am
Ah...after signing up with Google Adsense back on June 6th, 2006, I am going to see the USD50.00 very soon. Just need USD0.42 to reach the "pin" status. It's been a real journey so far...starting from this blog in February, 2006 and in less than a year, I've expanded to a
food blog, a
photo blog as well as a
blog in support of Visit Malaysia Year 2007.
The apple of my eye is still this blog as well as the food blog. Okaylah, make that 2 apples. This blog is where I put all my whatevers. Hence, it is appropriately named whatever. The drawback is that it is not focused enough and readers might not find it appealing to come regularly. As for the food blog, it is doing great and I even took up courage to buy my own domain and host it. Recently, the ever influential 5xmom gave a
review of my food blog and it blew the stats sky high! As a result, I noticed that there are more returning visitors to the food blog. Time to get working on more recipes.
The thing is, juggling this blog as well as the food blog is not easy. I also have to work first. I'm not a pro-blogger...so, this shall remain a hobby of mine for now. As a result, I've not been able to visit my blogger kawan-kawan's site that often or to give them my thoughts...so, I shall have to rethink my priorities.
It's humbling to know that my thoughts can be shared with people all around the world with just a click of the mouse. I shall now ponder whether I can put this technology to better use...hmmmm......
Monday, February 05, 2007
posted by PabloPabla at 2:39 pm
VR Hosted, an internet presence provider since 1996, has recently changed its name to
Net Actuate. Along with this name change, there are some hosting plans on offer. Well, actually only 2 are on offer.
The first plan is simply called Web One whilst the latter is surprise surprise, Web Two. The former comes with 5 gb web space and 100gb/month transfer. Web Two offers double the capacity. The former costs $10 per month whilst the latter, $15 per month. The control panel is quite easy to use and it comes with icons for ease of navigation. The usual stuffs like mail accounts, ftp and file managers are inclusive.
Compared to some other hosting packages available in the net, I think Net Actuate's package may not necessarily be the best in terms of pricing or features. There are definitely some sites which offer cheaper hosting packages and with better features. You will have to do a search on that. Moreover, it would definitely help to have some facts and figures about the size of its business (how many sites it is hosting) as well as uptime. Somehow, I think facts and figures do sometimes impress people and convinces people where to place their money.
Payment wise, the good thing is that Net Actuate accepts paypal funds on top of the usual credit cards. This would suit those who are unsure about making credit card payments and prefer to use their "virtual" funds in paypal instead.
LoudLaunch - Compensating bloggers for their unbiased opinions, reviews, and analysis. View the LoudLaunch campaign release this post was based on. 
http://www.loudlaunch.com/linktrack.ashx?bloggerid=279&campaignid=84
posted by PabloPabla at 2:38 pm
Credit cards are big business in most developed and developing nations, more so in the UK. Mint
credit card was introduced by MINT in 2003 and comes in 2 versions. The 1st version is a standard credit card whilst the 2nd version is a credit card with a futuristic look - where the bottom right hand corner has been nicely trimmed off. Current promotion on the MINT credit card is 0% interests on purchases and balance transfers till 1st December 2007.
MINT is not all about credit cards. They also have Gift Cards which was introduced in September 2006. This is quite an innovative card and quite similar to supplementary cards just that it is pre-paid in nature. You can get a card for say 250 quids and then give it away to someone you love. They'll get to spend it at their convenience at places where Visa Electron is accepted.
And by the way, MINT is a business name of The Royal Bank of Scotland plc. That's the national bank of Scotland, I think. So, I think it's pretty safe. However, the facilities are only available for residents of the UK above 18 years of age. There are some important terms and conditions and you can check them out at Mint
credit card.
This is a sponsored post
posted by PabloPabla at 11:58 am
Taikor Wingz asked me for small favour. But he is so taikor, any favour means an order. No lah. He's been nice to me, so this is one small thing I can do for him. Have you heard of the gathering he's organising with some other pang yaus of his? Whilst he is a joker, it is no joke organising such a gathering for bloggers.
Details as follows:-
Where? Federal Hotel Kuala Lumpur
When? 9th March, 2007
Time? 6pm till 11pm
Dress Code? That one also you need to ask kah? What do you think?
Ringgits and Sens? RM35 if you pay before 18th Feb (Before Chinese New Year). After that, you pay RM40.
Got time or life or not? Go check out the biggest blogger's bash in town. Got free gift some more. For more details, spam this email = tggenquiry at gmail dot com
posted by PabloPabla at 11:38 am
I just can't get enough of
coupon codes. They are like, free gifts. Really, I mean, you don't really need to do anything except browse through the codes available and pick one which suits your purchasing intent. Why pay more when you can pay lesser by quoting these coupon codes which come free?
We all know that Microsoft has just launched Windows Vista and people are queuing like mad to get a copy for their new pc. With
BestBuy.com coupons, you get to purchase Windows Vista are special rates and you get free gifts with it. Best of all, you also get $20 off your purchase of Norton Antivirus 2007.
As for those intending to go dot.com just like what I did recently, you might be interested in
1&1 Hosting Coupons which gives you web hosting from $4.99 per month with 2 free domain names! Whoopee! For coupon codes!
This is a sponsored post and I am very tempted with the 1&1 Hosting Coupon
posted by PabloPabla at 10:16 am
The last couple of days were a real pain in the neck for me. The tonsils were so sore that drinking water was an excruciating experience to say the least. I almost developed a phobia of drinking water but I had to just stomach it because lack of fluids would have made it worse.
I did see a neighbourhood general practitioner on Friday. It was my first visit and I was impressed with the number of patients. The bill came up to RM25 which was dirt cheap considering there was antibiotic, cough syrup, running nose pills and fever pills. Only thing was, I wasn't quite confident those colourful looking pills would do the trick. So, it got worse on Friday evening and by Saturday morning, I was on the verge of losing my voice as well.
So, off I went to our regular Ear, Nose & Throat Specialist in anticipation of one fat bill after the consultation. One fat bill it was - RM170.00. There are 3 types of medicine to take and they look more familiar. The sore reduced significantly but now, the cough is developing. The irritating chesty cough which once in a while brings up a blub of thick greenish looking phlegm. Now, I suspect the throat is sore due to the coughing rather than the original "sore".
Life is fragile, isn't it? A miscrobe so small that it cannot be seen by the naked eye could cause a 5 feet 7 inches 75 kg man to surrender to its invasion. Through this experience, one learns that much should and could be done when one is healthy. And when one is healthy, one should strive not to be a burden but be an assist to others. We are all guilty of taking life for granted.
Lord have Mercy!
posted by PabloPabla at 10:03 am
Wirefly Accessories Store claims itself as the leading online retailer of wireless phones and service plans. It also claims to offer more
carriers, plans and phones than anybody else, at the guaranteed lowest prices. Therefore, it is worth paying the site a visit before making your final decision on which phone and service you wish to subscribe to.
Some of the well known cell phone manufacturers carried by Wirefly Accessories Store include Apple, Blackberry, Nokia, Samsung, Motorola, LG, Siemens, Sony Ericsson and Palm. As for the cellular carriers, the list of 23 companies starts from Alltel Wireless to Virgin Mobile.
Shoppers at Wirefly Accessories Store can also browse through an extensive range of car chargers, phone batteries, cases and holsters, headsets and wireless signal boosters at this store for a one-stop shopping experience.
This is a sponsored post.
