Tuesday, December 30, 2008

"You Will Be Martyrs"

Look at this picture? What do you see? Do you see terrorists or do you innocent children?

The people who did this might have said that the were seeing terrorists.....Because for them when Muslims attacked them, it was an act of terrorism. But when they attacked Muslims, it was justified an act against terrorism.

Either way, innocent people are still the victims.

To the Balousha sisters..... "You Will Be Martyrs"....

May Allah put your souls together with those who have received His blessings. Amin

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Five sisters killed in Gaza while they slept

Israel's target was the mosque next door. But the rocket attack claimed the lives of innocent children

By Donald Macintyre and Said Ghazali
Tuesday, 30 December 2008

The five Palestinian sisters were fast asleep when a night-time Israeli airstrike hit the next-door mosque in Gaza. One of the walls collapsed on to their small asbestos-roofed home and they were all killed in their beds. The eldest sister, Tahrir, was 17 years old, the youngest, Jawaher, just four.

"They grow up day after day and night after night. Within a second, I have lost them," the girls' father, Anwar Balousha, said yesterday. The 37-year-old, along with another three of his children, was himself injured in the attack on the densely populated Jabalya refugee camp.

The funerals of the sisters – Tahrir, 17; Ikram, 15; Samar, 12; Dina eight; and Jawaher, four – were attended by family members and thousands of mourners. But with space running out in the cemetery, the five girls had to be buried in just three graves, one for the eldest and the others forced to share.

Mr Balousha wept down the phone, saying he felt "how a father who lost his five daughters would feel". With recorded readings from the Koran audible in the background, along with occasional explosions in the distance, he added: "It is the will of Allah. We are believers in God."

Amid the pile of rubble that was the Balousha home yesterday, three torn blankets could be seen poking out from the ruins along with a painted blue iron, a broken brown cupboard and a baby's bed.

The Israeli military said it had targeted the next-door mosque because it was a "known gathering place" of Hamas adherents. It said four gunmen were inside it at the time of the attack. The mosque was named Imad Akel after the former leader of the Hamas military wing.

As Israeli strikes continued, the uncle of the dead sisters said the family had been innocent victims. "We are not those who are firing rockets against Israel," Ibrahim Balousha said. "We are just people, human beings and not animals."

The Balousha family had moved out of their house when the Israeli bombing started on Saturday but they had decided to return "to meet their fate" in the words of the dead girls' uncle. He said that three missiles had been used in the airstrike at around 11.20pm on Sunday night and that hundreds of neighbours had arrived to help in the wake of the carnage.

After the funeral, 16-year-old Iman, who was briefly buried in the rubble of the family home but survived, described her unlucky siblings' dying moments. "I told my sisters, you will be martyrs, this is the end."

Her grieving uncle said that Hamas had taken advantage of the funeral to chant slogans including "Vengeance, Vengeance". Shouts of "Bomb Tel Aviv" were also heard. But Ibrahim Balousha said he had given the militant group short shrift. "I told them, this is a funeral and not a rally."

Times were already tough for the family of refugees even before the latest tragedy. The girls' father is unemployed for 11 months of the year, picking up work selling Ka'ak bread around Ramadan. The family depend on food rations from the United Nations Relief and Works Agency and a $40 (£27.50) monthly handout. "The story is almost the same for decades," Ibrahim Balousha said: "Intifada and miseries, poverty and catastrophes."

UNRWA spokesman Christopher Gunness said: "The killing of these young girls is another tragic illustration that this bombardment is exacting a terrible price on innocent civilians. As with the killing of UNRWA students [on Saturday] we hope there will be a thorough and impartial and transparent investigation.

"Most important of all there has to be accountability. We need to know if international law was violated and if so, by whom," he added.

The UN yesterday issued a "conservative" estimate of the number of civilians killed in three days of unprecedentedly fierce aerial bombardment, putting the death toll at 62. It is a deliberately conservative estimate because it excludes all men in the Gaza City area to ensure that it does not accidentally include uniformed personnel.

The Palestinian Centre of Human Rights said that "most" of the more than 300 casualties were civilian but their tally includes Hamas policemen. It also said some bodies had still to be identified because they were so badly disfigured and that its field officers – who aim to chart every Palestinian casualty – are facing "extreme difficulties in visiting some areas, particularly those under multiple bombardment.

The Israeli military insists that it is doing its utmost to prevent civilian casualties but repeatedly points out that Hamas regularly and "cynically and specifically" uses locations in heavily built-up areas.

Read More HERE

All Hail The King

My home-state of Negeri Sembilan has got a new Ruler now. A rightful one.

His Royal Highness Tuanku Mukhriz ibni Almarhum Tuanku Munawir, the son of the Almarhum Tuanku Munawir ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman, the 9th Yang Di Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan.

It has been said that he was supposed to succeed his father to the throne in 1967 upon his death.

But due to some political intervention by a top politician at that time, the Almarhum Tuanku Jaafar was selected ahead of him. The reason given was that he was to young at that time.

But everything doesn't seem to matter now as the rightful King has been restored to the throne.

Let's all pray that Negeri Sembilan will continue to prosper under His Highness's patronage.

Daulat Tuanku!!!

More readings HERE

Sunday, December 28, 2008

12 Years and Counting......

12 years ago today.... it was the happiest day of my life....
For all these years you have been my first thought in the morning and my last thought at night.
Every year with you is sweeter than the last.

And I'm still looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you.
My love for you grows and grows with each passing year.

Happy Anniversary, to my wife, my partner, my best friend....

Happy 12th Wedding Anniversary Sayang

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Al-Fatihah - Farewell to A King

The Yang di-Pertuan Besar of Negeri Sembilan, Tuanku Ja’afar ibni Almarhum Tuanku Abdul Rahman, passed away at 11.45am today (27/12/2008). He was 86.

Negeri Sembilan State Secretary Datuk Norzam Mohd Nor announced Tuanku Ja’afar’s demise at the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital where he died.

He said Tuanku Ja’afar, who was the 10th Yang di-Pertuan Agong from 1994 to 1999, was unwell and had complained of headache and discomfort at 8.10am.

“The hospital was contacted and two senior consultants, Datuk Dr Tarmizi Thayaparan and Datuk Dr K. Sree Raman, rushed to the Istana Hinggap here to attend to Tuanku,” he told a special news conference to announce the demise at the hospital’s VIP room.
Also present at the news conference were Negeri Sembilan police chief Datuk Osman Salleh, State Director of Health Dr Zainal Arifin Omar and members of the royal family.
Norzam said the two specialists arrived at Istana Hinggap at 8.25am and found Tuanku Ja’afar to be too weak but conscious and they advised that he be taken immediately to hospital.
“Tuanku was rushed to the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital and admitted to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) and was administered emergency treatment.
“I wish to state here that Tuanku Ja’afar passed away at 11.45am at the Tuanku Ja’afar Hospital,” he said.
Norzam said Tuanku Ja’afar’s remains would be taken to the Istana Besar Seri Menanti in Kuala Pilah for the lying-in-state ceremony before being laid to rest after the “asar” prayers on Monday.

He also said that this was to allow for the return of Tuanku Ja’afar’s children who were abroad.
Norzam said Tuanku Ja’afar’s remains would be placed in the Balairong Seri (Throne Room) of the Istana Besar Seri Menanti to enable members of the royalty, leaders and the public to pay their last respects.
He said the state had declared 40 days of mourning from today and all official government functions over the next seven days have been postponed.
“All government offices and buildings must fly the state flag at half-mast for the 40 days. During the mourning period, all male government employees must wear the songkok bearing a white band while the female employees are required to wear a white band on a sleeve.
“All entertainment outlets must also postpone all their activities over the next seven days from today,” he said.
Norzam said Menteri Besar Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan, who is on holiday in London, was expected back at 10am tomorrow.

More stories HERE

Wednesday, December 24, 2008

An (Almost) White Tehran – the Sequel

I arrived in Tehran this week on the 21st Dec... Officially the first day of Winter (the winter Solstice). I was told that the night before, Iranians celebrated the coming of Winter with a feast of water melons, oranges and other fruits. For Iranians, celebrating the Winter will be meaningless without the water melons. In Malaysia, we don’t usually eat water melons at night... especially during the cold and rainy seasons. Well, different people, different cultures.....

That’s what great about being an international traveller like me..... You get to experience other people’s culture.

I have been travelling a lot now.....especially to Tehran, Iran. I guess my face is one of the most familiar ones with the Hotel (hehehe). Every time when I arrive at the Hotel to check in... the reception clerks will just greet me, take my passport and give me the check-in form to fill in. No questions asked. I guess they were expecting me to check in every week.

And due to my extensive travelling with the Emirates Airlines, I have been up-graded to a Gold member by Skywards, the Emirates Airlines frequent flyer program. Now I will have the luxury of having to wait for my flights at the Business Lounge. Lucky me......and I can take a guest with me too.

I was thinking that snow would welcome me to Tehran this week. But it didn’t snow at all.... it rains almost every day with occasional sunshine. And the temperature was not that cold....maybe about 5 to 8 degree Celsius... (but sometimes it would suddenly plunge to about 0 degree).

These flowers are still braving the Tehran winter

The sun is shining but it's still cold in Tehran

Taken from onboard the Mahan Air flight....somewhere between Bandarabbas & Esfahan, I guess

This is considered as a mild weather for Tehran....considering that it’s already Winter. Perhaps it will snow in one or two weeks. So, for now....there are no photos of snow except from last week. But there’s snow in the mountain though....it’s time to go skiing, ski fans!!!.....

There were about 15 to 20 Malaysians at the Hotel.....all government servants, I guess. They were part of the PM’s entourage to Tehran for a working visit (?)..... One of them said that the PM is staying at the Estaghlal Hotel and so are some of the VIPs. Non-VIPs are staying at Homa. The PM is in Tehran? I hope they’ll be no shoe-throwing sessions this time in Iran during the press conference....just like what happened to Mr Bush last week in Iraq. Well, as I have written earlier in my previous posts, Iranians respect us (Malaysians)... most of them, I think. They said that Malaysians are very good people... and the most important thing is that most Malaysians are Muslims....it doesn’t matter if we are Sunni Muslims....as long as we are Muslims, then they’ll be no problems. So, Pak Lah doesn’t have to dodge any shoes here....

Tomorrow, I’ll be back in Dubai.... can’t hardly wait to be with my family back. Next week, I’ll come back for a meeting....hope to see some snow....

Friday, December 19, 2008

Al-Shoraffa - Shindagha - High Star

It's Friday, an off day in Dubai. After the Jumaat Solat, I bring the family out to have lunch at the Al-Shoraffa Pakistani and Indian Restaurant at the North-end of Al Rolla St. We met 3 of our Al attar Escala neighbors there. It turned out that the restaurant is their regular hang out.

We ordered lunch, Naan Roti for the kids and my wife and I shared a dish of Chicken Fried Rice.....mamak-style. We ordered a bowl chicken curry to dip the naan in.....and to top it all, we ordered two glasses of Pulled Chai (Teh Tarik...hehe).

The food wasn't bad at all....the most important thing was the wife & kids loved it.....it wasn't as good as the one back in Malaysia...but it will do, for now.

Our lunch at the Al Shoraffa Pakistani and Indian Restaurant

After having our tummies filled with the food, we walked to Al Shindagha....the distance from our apartment is just about the same as the Al Khaleej Center. Our main destination.....Shindagha Carrefour and Shindagha Market. It was true what some people said about this Carrefour. It was filled mostly with South Asian people.....sometimes it felt like we were in Indian...hehehe.... But the good thing was that the prices here were quite reasonable compared to other Carrefours that we had been to.

At Shindagha Carrefour and Market

We bought some new clothes for ourselves....we need them for the winter....we don't have much winter clothings because we arrived in Dubai during the Summer. So, I got myself two long-sleeve t-shirt (to wear in Tehran), my wife and Lina got a sweater each, Ain and Apit got a t-shirt and pant each. I also bought them some winter socks to wear at home. I performed both Asar and Maghrib solat at the Surau just between the Carrefour and the market.

Winter socks for the Kids

Then we went to the market to buy some beef and fish.....we didn't spend much time there as everyone was really tired....We only managed to buy some beef and some sting-ray (ikan pari) and some grapes for Apit.

On the way back, we stopped by the High Star cafe for some supper. We had paratha and some chicken curry and dhal. It's just like when we were in Bangi.....having supper at one of the Mamak restaurants in Section 15.

Supper at the High Star Cafe and hair cut for Ayah and Apit

Then, Apit and I had our hair cut at the Falcon Gents Saloon. It had been quite some time since our last haircut. This was the first time that the whole family joined us at the saloon. Initially, I wanted the barber to use the "#1" for Apit's hair, but his mother was against it...so I told the barber to make it a "normal short". Fortunately, Apit liked it...actually he was telling us that he wanted to "gunting botak"....

I got my turn after that....I wanted to "gunting botak" but had a second thought about it....so I told the barber...."I want it short like that..." pointing to Apit.....

So, after everything was done....it's time to head home.....suddenly Apit saidhe wanted to pee....so bad that we didn't think he could keep it in until we get home.....So, I rushed him to the Al Shoraffa which was just across Al Rolla from where we were.

He let it go just in time for me to take his pants and shoes off......but it didn't prevent it from wetting his pants and underwear.... I could feel some sprinkles of it hitting me on my face as it bounced off the wall.....it also wet his Transformers t-shirt. Luckily, we bought him a pair of clothes.....so we let him wear it before we walked home.

We reached home at about 1000pm....tired, of course, but satisfied with our new experience...and newly bought clothes...

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

An (Almost) White Tehran

The Iran Air flight landed at the Imam Khomeini International Airport (IKIA), or Emam Airport (Parsi: Farudgah Emam), as the Tehranis call it, almost on time....

With me were three young Malaysians....in turned out that they were working for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The PM is coming to Tehran...they came to do some arrangements for the VIP visit....One of them was working in the Embassy in Abu Dhabi for 4 years before going back in mid-September.


After exchanging business cards...we parted companies. My "driver" was waiting for me. It wasn't the usual Mr Ghafari.....I was told that Mr Ghafari's car broke down and this friend of his is taking over for today.


As I walked out of the terminal....cold breeze welcomed me....it appeared that winter is here already. It's cold....I checked with one of the on-line weather services that the temperature in Tehran will hit 0 degree Celcius this week...and that's during the day.


On the second day, I think it got much colder, because the small pond outside the building was covered with a thin layer of ice.....but I still dared to walk outside the factory with just 2 layers of clothes.....hehehe....although I could only stand it for a few minutes.



There's a thin layer of ice in the pond.....


Since there was a lot to be done with this new model, we stayed back on the second day.....When I went out to the prayer room to perform solat, I saw these tiny white particles coming down from the sky....it's snowing already.....

Tehran's snow-capped mountains as viewed from my hotel room

On the way to Ekbatan to catch a cab....we saw there were some vehicles had been covered with some hints of snow on their roof and trunk....I said to myself..."next week, Tehran will be all white....I'll bring my H50 next week".


The taxi driver, who's been quite familiar with me now, told me in broken English that the Public Holiday (Wednesday, 17th Dec is Iran's Public Holiday) and the winter had changed the traffic direction in Tehran. We were stuck initially on the way out of Ekbatan and on the Tehran-Karaj Expressway (I think...), because people were going out of Tehran for the long weekend (some are going back to their hometowns and some are going to spend the weekend in the Caspian sea area, North of Tehran).


When we turned into Hemmat Expressway, there were not many traffics....Hemmat could be one of the worst roads when it comes to traffics jams. The same also goes to Kordestan Expressway going North and the Syahid Khodammi St in front of the Hotel. But it took us almost 1.5 hours to reach the Hotel from Ekbatan....it is only about 20 km or so between the Hotel and Ekbatan...imagine that...


Once arriving at the Hotel, the cabby said that in normal circumstances....considering the weather an the traffic conditions, he will charge up to 70000 Rials.....but since I'm a regular customer, he'll only take 50000 Rials...an extra 10000 Rials from the usual fare. Fair enough....he's a nice guy anyway....and I respect him.



I think it's trying hard to survive the winter.....what a pity...


The snow was still falling when I got out of the cab.....walking to the Hotel lobby, I managed to snap a photo of this red rose with some white fresh snow on top of it.....


Well, I'm leaving Tehran tomorrow...but I'll come back next week...there are still some works to be done....before the end of the year.


Reminder for next week: My H50, more warm clothes, a more suitable pair of shoes, supplies of food (I don't think I'm going out at night in this type of weather) and body lotion....(dry and cold weather makes my body itchy)....


To be continued.....



Monday, December 15, 2008

Another Birthday Wishes.....

15th December.....another important date....the birthday of one of the most important people in my life.....my father, Hj Mat Zean Abd Aziz.....he's 63 today....

From your son and family in Dubai....We wish you a very happy & joyful 63rd Birthday....

We love you and miss you so much......

Sunday, December 14, 2008

MY Potato Salad

Here is a simple potato salad recipe. I just "plucked" this recipe out of nowhere and it tasted quite good. So, I want to share it with anybody who's interested.....Bon Apatite!!!

Ingredients

4-5 medium size potatoes
3 cups of shredded cabbage
1 cup of shredded carrot
Onion, celery, spring onions (daun bawang) & chinese celery (daun sup) - Minced
1/2 cup of raisins
Salt and pepper
1 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 cup of fresh milk

Method

1. Clean the potatoes and boil in water (add a tea-spoon of salt) until tender
* Alternatively, put the potatoes in a microwave oven and let cook for about 15-20 minutes

2. Peel off the skin and cut to inch-sized dice, and put in a bowl

3. In another bowl, toss together the:
Cabbage
Carrot
Onion
Celery
Spring onion
Chinese celery
Raisins

4. Add in salt and pepper to taste

5. Add in mayonnaise and fresh milk

6. Toss everything together

7. Lastly, add in the diced potatoes and toss until everything is mixed together

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PS: Here are the links to a few of my favorite chefs....

http://www.jamieoliver.com/
http://www.davidrocco.com/
http://www.grahamkerr.com/
http://www.chefrobertrainford.com/

Thursday, December 11, 2008

Sony Will Cut 16,000 Jobs as Recession Curbs Demand

8000- or 16000-job cuts.....it still sends shivers down my spine reading it.....Hopefully they'll let me serve my 2-year contract here before doing anything.....

By Lena Lee

Dec. 9 (Bloomberg) -- Sony Corp., the world’s second-biggest consumer-electronics maker, plans to eliminate 16,000 jobs in the largest reduction announced by a Japanese company since the credit crunch drove the world into recession.

Sony will curb investments, outsource production and move away from unprofitable businesses by March 2010 to save more than 100 billion yen ($1.1 billion) a year, the company said today. The cuts include 8,000 full-time employees, or 5 percent of the company’s electronics workforce, and another 8,000 part-time and seasonal workers, Sony said.

The reductions highlight the severity of the slump in consumer spending at a time when companies typically focus on the peak Christmas shopping season. Tokyo-based Sony, led by Chief Executive Officer Howard Stringer, said a “much” larger-than- anticipated deterioration in the economy spurred the measures and the company may revise its profit targets.

“I can’t see how the company will regain its charm with consumers,” said Hiroshi Sato, chief investment officer of Tokyo-based GCSAM Co., who sold his Sony holdings. “The company might suffer from a bigger earnings decline in the second half, or even losses, if it doesn’t take any measures.”

It’s the second time Stringer, 66, is turning to major job cuts to boost earnings. In 2005, when the company projected its first annual loss in more than a decade, the Welsh-born U.S. citizen announced plans to eliminate 10,000 workers.

Sony said it will announce the financial effect of the measures in January when it reports fiscal third-quarter results.

Surprise Deterioration

The job reductions beyond full-time employees will affect subcontractors, seasonal workers and people hired on a daily, weekly or monthly basis, said Mami Imada, a Sony spokeswoman. Temporary workers typically don’t get the same benefits Sony’s full-time workers receive, she said.

“The reason for this move is the deterioration of the economy, which was much larger than we expected,” Senior Vice President Naofumi Hara said.

Sony said on Oct. 23 that net income will probably drop 59 percent in the year ending March 31, reducing the outlook by 38 percent as the stronger yen and slumping demand undermine sales of its electronics including Bravia televisions.

The company will review the effect of the reorganization and revise its current-year and mid-term profit targets if needed, Hara said. Sony faces no problem with cash flow, he said.

Panasonic Stumble

Panasonic Corp., the world’s biggest consumer-electronics maker, cut its full-year profit outlook by 90 percent Nov. 27.

“We are working on reorganizing our global operations, reducing costs and speeding up structural changes to weather this crisis,” Akira Kadota, a spokesman at Panasonic in Tokyo, said today. He declined to comment on the possibility of job cuts.

All reductions will take place by March 31, 2010, Sony said. Hara declined to provide the number of people on contract.

Faltering consumer spending led companies including AT&T Inc. and DuPont Co. to announce more than 15,000 job cuts this month. The number of people on jobless benefit rolls in the U.S., one of the biggest markets for Asian exporters including Sony and Panasonic, climbed to a 26-year high in the week ended Nov. 22.

The Bravia-brand TV maker said it will “adjust” pricing to cope with the stronger yen, two weeks after saying it didn’t have plans for “massive cuts” in prices in the U.S. The yen has surged 21 percent against the dollar and 38 percent versus the euro this year, hurting Sony’s overseas earnings.

Sony shares traded at the equivalent of 1,906 yen as of 2:11 p.m. in Frankfurt, up 0.5 percent from the Tokyo closing price.

Fewer Production Sites

Sony said it will invest 30 percent less in its electronics business than planned under its mid-term strategy, without giving figures.

The company will also cut the number of manufacturing sites by 10 percent by the end of next fiscal year, from 57 currently.

Sony will postpone investment plans at its Nitra plant in Slovakia that assembles liquid-crystal-display televisions for the European market. The electronics maker plans to end production at two overseas manufacturing sites, including one in France that produces tape and other recording media.

“These initiatives are in response to the sudden and rapid changes in the global economic environment,” Sony said.

(Extracted from HERE)

To contact the reporter on this story: Lena Lee in Tokyo at llee42@bloomberg.net

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

Six Sigma Approach to Quality Manufacturing

Six Sigma is much more than a passing fad. It can actually deliver results. In fact, a number of Fortune 500 companies claim that it has made a significant difference in the quality of their processes and products. How new is the Six Sigma method? Well, some of it is new, especially its label, but most of it isn’t. Some of the tools and techniques used with Six Sigma are simply some very tried and true tools and practices that have been available for many years. However, Six Sigma does organize these tools into a more disciplined, focused, and aggressive methodology.

In addition, Six Sigma programs are often broader in organizational and process scope. They cover not just production concerns but also any business process that impacts customer satisfaction or any other areas of company performance, for that matter. Taken literally, Six Sigma means that any product or process will have no more than 3.4 defects per 1,000,000 units produced, tasks performed, orders filled, customers served, and so on. Working toward perfection keeps everyone involved in the process, striving for continuous, unrelenting improvement. It does not mean that the office copier won’t jam hundreds of times per million sheets or that there won’t be defects for every car that rolls off an auto assembly line. Rather, Six Sigma means that whatever the error or defect rate currently is, it will be substantially lower in two weeks, two months, two years—because managers and workers at all levels are focused on improving the process. Six Sigma programs are driven by the following goals:

• Creating products and processes that are “defect-intolerant”
• Continually analyzing each element of a process, be it the predictability of a process, the defect rate from a process, or the accuracy with which customer orders are filled — to determine how it compares in its current state with a perfect, error-free process.

How Six Sigma Solves Problems

The Six Sigma methodology for solving problems is similar to many other approaches. The differences arise mostly from Six Sigma’s emphasis on statistical techniques to isolate and quantify undesirable variations in process and product performance. The mathematical techniques and analysis are central to Six Sigma steps for problem solving. The general steps one would follow with Six Sigma are:

1. Identify a process or product variation that is creating undesirable performance results.

2. Define the scope and parameters of the problem.

3. Develop and apply initial measures of process or product variability.

4. Estimate the business performance impact.

5. Prioritize the project with other Six Sigma projects to establish when analysis begins.

6. Collect and organize the data needed to carry out a thorough analysis.

7. Analyze the data to pinpoint the cause or causes of variation.

8. Develop an action plan for improving the process or product and a time frame for full implementation of the action plan.

9. Implement the improvements.

10. Establish the control and feedback mechanisms for continuous improvement of the process or product.

Six Sigma dovetails nicely with performance improvement initiatives intended to transform a traditional manufacturing company into a lean supply chain operation. An effective Six Sigma program can help to improve customer response time, cut cycle times, and improve product quality in engineering and performance. These improvements appear not just in a narrow “reduction of defects” but can also generate revenue based on improved customer satisfaction. Customer satisfaction improves not because goods are more reliable and have fewer defects but because the entire process that the customer experiences from start to finish, from the sales office all the way through delivery and post-sale servicing and technical support, is improved. In addition, companies that implement Six Sigma programs can get additional benefits just by advertising their commitment to Six Sigma, as many have done, thereby raising the company’s public profile. There is one important caveat, however: Six Sigma’s heavy reliance on mathematical and statistical techniques for determining process as well as product performance intimidates many managers, making it harder to sell as an approach to key people within the organization. Six Sigma has its advocates, but it also has its detractors.

Resistance to Six Sigma arises sometimes because managers see Six Sigma advocates as “blind zealots” wedded to a single performance improvement philosophy. Companies that are considering implementing a Six Sigma program should be prepared to understand and cope with such resistance.


TQM and Six Sigma: A Comparison

Are Total Quality Management and Six Sigma really different? There is a lot of disagreement about this. Some say that TQM is too laissez-faire and its advocates tended more toward representing the quality function in an organization rather than the broad business view of Six Sigma. While it’s true that TQM often just resided in the quality organization, the same could be said for Six Sigma. Neither TQM nor Six Sigma, however, was ever intended to be just a separate quality function. Quite the contrary, both were intended to cut across all functions and boundaries of the organization. The problem often was and still is a problem of how TQM and Six Sigma are applied and interpreted within an organization. There is a significant overlap between TQM and Six Sigma. Click HERE for further readings about TQM and Six Sigma.

The primary difference between the two is that Six Sigma is much more mathematically intensive in the pursuit of process performance improvement. In addition, Six Sigma advocates have raised the bar by which its techniques should be applied at all levels and functions within the company. This means top management needs to mandate the adoption of Six Sigma focusing on the improvements needed to achieve the company’s strategic goals and objectives. The question here is often, “Do we really need this type of an approach to business process improvement?”

I recognize my comparative table could spark spirited discussion from advocates of either side. Some do not even like comparisons of TQM and Six Sigma to be made because many Six Sigma advocates believe they are practicing a new form of improved management. But most executives see Six Sigma as another quality initiative. I believe Six Sigma to be a part of the continuous evolution of techniques for achieving higher levels of quality in business and production processes. It is unlikely that any rigid business philosophy and methodology will be universally adopted across all manufacturing companies. No doubt, there will be variations, some good and some bad.

Still, using Six Sigma, companies aim for perfection just as they would following lean manufacturing. Companies that initiate lean manufacturing or Six Sigma programs need to be intensely focused on promoting quality through every aspect of their organization. These initiatives include services as well as goods, and all business processes and the people in them, not just those involved with production in the plant.

Tuesday, December 09, 2008

Eidul Adha in Dubai......(08/12/2008)

It's a low-key celebration....this Eidul Adha....but that didn't stop us Malaysians to have our own Raya Haji gathering.

We planned to have it on the roof-top of our Al Attar Escala. So, at about 100pm on the Raya day, we took our food and drinks to the roof-top swimming pool. We were joined by our fellow Malaysians here....Alamin n wife, Sirazi had his wife and three kids visiting this school holidays, Zainal with his colleagues.....also there were Fazli and Shukor, 2 young guys who work at the Burj Dubai.

Along and Ain... helping Ibu preparing the table

My wife and I had our own guest....Norita, a niece of her ex-collegemate who's just arrived in Dubai.

Mak would be very proud, knowing her daughter-in-law can make Roti Jala like hers

Some of the "Orang Bujang" contingent lead by Zainal (extreme right)

The menu was my Soto Ayam, instant lemang, daging dendeng, strawberry yogurt pudding, roti jala and chicken curry. Sirazi and his family brought spaghetti, nasi himpit & chicken rendang, cocktail pudding. Alamin and wife brought two types of salad, peanut gravy and nasi himpit. Zainal and his "bachelor" gang brought the drinks. Fazli and Shukor brought chicken Kaddai......

It's chow time for everyone......

Some of the dishes that were served

Luckily we had this shed by the swimming pool....

It felt just like Malaysia again.....with plentiful of food and drinks.....a lot of banters by the bachelor gang.....Who said, we can't make a Raya gathering as lively as this?

In all, more than 20 of us at the swimming pool.....I guess the mat salehs who were sun-bathing there were quite annoyed.....hehehe...

We discovered that this will be Fazli and Shukor's final month in Dubai....They'll be going home, for good, on the 1st of January. All the best of luck for them.

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We had an invitation that night.....at Amali's house, just a few minutes' walk from our house. We when there with Sirazi and his family.....We were treated with some of the best Johor cuisines...as both Amali and his wife, Zarina, are from Johor....

Food served by Amali and Zarina....thanks a lot guys

We left at about 930pm.....tired but happy to have spent the Eidul Adha with our friends.....It's not the same as spending it with our family and friends in Malaysia though, but we tried to make as joyful as possible with our new friends here in Dubai.

More Photos HERE

Sunday, December 07, 2008

SALAM EIDUL ADHA dari DUBAI, UAE


Salam Eidul Adha to all our family, relatives and friends.....


May Allah's blessings are always upon us....


To those who have been "selected" to be the Guests of Allah in the Holy Cities...


May your Hajj is a Mabrur one.....


Saturday, December 06, 2008

Finding Solace in Allah.....

The economic situation now is bad.....I heard that many people have been laid off....have been unemployed......They have every reason to be angry, to be sad.....to blame it on somebody else (in some cases.....)....

Luckily for me....my employer is still holding on to it's staff.....alhamdulillah....all praise be to Allah.

I received a bad news from home. One of my uncles was diagnosed with a stage 2 Thyroid Lymphoma....a type of cancer. It was a devastating news for us all....He is one of the relatives who are close to us. I even stayed with him and his family when I first started working in Bangi.

When we got married, we stayed at his house for a few months before moving to a rental house....which belonged to him.....We rented his house for almost 5 years before moving to our own house.

It's a little disappointing for us not to be by his side to lend our support. However, knowing him for so long, I know that he is strong....plus that he has his loving family around for support.

We just pray that Allah will give him and everybody the strength to face this ultimate test.

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As Muslims, Allah is the only solace that we have.....after everything that we do....after trying hard and doing our best.....it's to Him that we should return to and ask for help.....

Allah will give us some difficulties....but in the end, He promises that there's a light at the very end of every dark tunnel.....

Let's take a look at this one Surah (verse) from the Holy Quran:

Surah Al-Insyirah - An 8-versed Makiyyah Surah. It is revealed that Allah is the comfort and removal of obstacles.....and that at the end of a difficulty, there's always ease.....

Historically, this Surah served as consolations for the Holy Prophet when he was having confusions and difficulties professing Islam in the early days.

Malay Translation

Click HERE to hear the recitation of this verse on YouTube.

The Kids are ready for Winter......

Here's Apit....with his new pair of sneakers, a new jacket and Ayah's ski cap....

And together with his sister.... all ready for a night out to Al Khaleej Center......

I had some errants to do at the shopping center......As usual, we walked there.....

On the way back, we stopped by Citimart and Choitram, at Al Rolla St, to buy some supplies......

My Old Faithfuls

No, it is not about the Old Faithful geyser in the Yellowstone National Park, Wyoming, in the US.....

It is about some of my prized possessions that date back to 1993....about 15 years ago.

They remind me to the time when I was just a mere kampung boy in a big country....away from my family and everyone that I loved....

Let me start with a pair of Skechers boots....They are one of my favorites.....They have never failed me, except for that one time when the soles came out when I was going to watch a football match in Seremban..... I got them fixed though.....

Then, when I went to Tehran for the first time....these old faithfuls came with me.....I put on new laces on them....and they kept my feet warm in the snow....

The inside part is pretty worn out, but the outside is still OK and presentable....

Next are an olive-green RPM jacket/blazer and a white Ralph Lauren long-sleeved shirt......I bought them for our Eidul Fitri gathering back in 1994 I think.....

It is still amazing that they still fit me well.....I wear them for official occasions or functions....but I sometimes wear the shirt to the office as well.

The next four items are those that I rarely wear due to their "seasonality nature".....

Here they are (refer to the above collage):

(1) The MIT hockey jersey.....I got this when visiting the East Coast of the US around 1994.... MIT is one of the top colleges in the US....just near to Harvard....

(2) A striped collarless Bon Homme shirt.....I seldom wear it as it's quite warm....but now it's winter in Dubai....so, it will see daylight quite regularly during the next 2-3 months....

(3) A gray Dingus hooded sweat-shirt I bought maybe in 1994 as well in Sacramento.....I use it regularly now as the weather in Dubai is getting colder....

(4) A Planet Hollywood New York denim jacket.....I bought it during my East-Coast trip....(same as the MIT jersey)...

There you go.....some of the things from the old days that I still keep and still use.....Yes...some of the brands are relatively unknown....but who cares about brand-names....as long long as they are "serving" me well.....

Monday, December 01, 2008

At the Burjuman Center and the National Day celebration at Raffles IS

Burjuman Center (29th November 2008)

I took the wife and kids to the Burjuman Center....we wanted to get a taste of the noodles at the Noodle House......

Ain and Apit....with a Porsche.....waiting for a cab....

We ordered 2 curry laksas (for Ibu and Along), 1 tomyam (for me), an egg fried rice (for Ain) and a mango pudding with vanilla ice cream (for Apit). For drinks, 2 hot chocolates and a big bottle of water...... The tastes were not bad at all..... but I think my wife's and mother's cooking beats everything and anything.....and of course anyone....even Jamie Oliver and David Rocco...

Along's not feeling well....while Ain and Apit enjoying their readings

After dinner and Maghrib, we went to Macgrudy's... My wife wanted to get a novel......to read during her past-time....the kids also got the books of their choice....They already began to read them while waiting for the cab...

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Raffles IS (1st December 2008)

The girls' school Raffles International School held a National Day celebration at the South Campus.....I took a day off today to see Along performs. Ain didn't have any performance to do.....probably because she was ill during a good part of last week.....

Along and her classmates

Along was involved in the Traditional Arabic Dance.....click HERE to see the video.

Ain with one of her friends

Ain got the answer right....

Ain was just happy watching the performances...with her friends....but she got a present answering the question about UAE National flag colors during the interactive-presentation session.

What did Apit do all the while? Well, he wasn't feeling very well lately..... He is the third casualties after Along and Ain.....Ain was the first, followed by Along.....and now Apit...

Despite being sick...he's still as handsome as ever...

Lying on Ayah's lap....look at the dried lips....sian Apit....

But he still didn't want to miss the occasions.....he still wanted to give his morale support to Along and Ain.......

Yes!!!....long holidays....boleh bangun lambat.....yea, yea!!

It's going to be one of their last days in school this year.....their school will be closed until the 13th of December, then re-open for a week before closing back until early next year. School re-opens for the next term on the 4th of January 2009. That explains the smiles (in the above photo).

We had the opportunity to see what did the girls do in class.....some of the activities were exhibited on the walls lining the hall ways.....

Some of Along and Ain's class activities put on the walls....

It's good experience for the kids......and for us the parents too....we saw some samples of Arab cultures.....from the dance until the delicacies.....

We watched some Arab ladies cooking some traditional dishes....one dish looked like tosay, the other looked like our own Malaysian "cekodok".....

A traditional Arab dance by Grades 1~4....(Along in 5th from the right)

Traditional Youla dance by some Arab youngsters from another school

Arabian "Tosay" anyone?

And "Cekodok"... dipped in honey?

Waiting for the ride home.....

As usual....we asked the reception to call a cab for us.....and it arrived in less than 10 minutes.....

We arrived at our place at almost 300pm....everybody was very tired.....I think I slept until about 615pm......

Overall....it was a nice family gathering......

More photos HERE