GMAIL behind the scenes

I've been using Gmail service since quite sometimes (approx when it has been launched in beta about 2 years ago) and I would like to say that overall it's quite a good service.
As Gmail rely on GFS (Google File System) that is the masquerade (upper layer) of a cluster combination of Linux servers, it's quite slow to upload the mainpage especially in countries where ADSL/broadband is not an option.

Anyway this post is not a comment to their service quality but to the following video that is a cut&join of hundreds private contribution from alla around the world.
A few months back Google request to all their users to submit a video of how they imagine an email can travel to arrive at its destination.

Well, if the service is not at 100% top, this video defitinively it is.
Enjoy!

PS: It's becoming the most voted/viewed video on youtube!
Peace!

Herrenchiemsee Caste. And the legend goes on...

06th August, a sunny morning and fresh hair did welcome our wake up in the quite vally of Swangau, Germany.

After open the windows of our cozy room, take a quick shower, we enjoy a wonderful healty breakfast in typical baverian style, with all the waitress wearing local tyrolean dress and serving local home made food.

It's a long day (at least for me that I have to drive all the way from Fussen to Salzburg in Austria) and I've aim to stop and visit the second castle of Ludwig II, Herrenchiemsee, known also as little Versaille, because it's the perfect copy of the same fortress in France.

I will not annoy any longer, but just let me share with you how pleasent is drive in Europe, especially (little note here for all Malaysian readers) when there is traffic jam or congestion.

In about 300km we encountered 2 accident and no one, repeat, no one... one more time... NO ONE driver did use the emergency lane, overtake, cut queue, etc..

Oh well, maybe just one, MYSELF: after driving for last 8 months in Malaysia I've became use to survive in this jungle where you remain alive only trying to squeeze other cars out of their way, use any disparete system just to gain few more centimeter of road.

Sharon, my professional navigator, promptly reminded me where we was and after realized my mistake I quitely re-align my car to the others and patiently wait for the road to be clear.

Germany highways (AutoBahn) are still great way to drive!

So finally we arrive at Prien after lunch, just in time to catch one of the boath to the major island (chiemsee) that host this wonderful palace.

The Chiemsee is a freshwater lake in Bavaria, Germany, between the towns of Rosenheim and Salzburg. It is often referred to as the "Bavarian Sea".The region around the Chiemsee is called Chiemgau and is a famous recreation area, and believe it or not, I don't know whether because was Sunday or whatever else, the lake was full of amateur boats and families envolved in pic-nic and similar activities.

So after 30 minutes of boat we arrive at the the second of the four castles build by Ludwig II of Baveria.

The Neues Schloss (New Palace) is the most famous of these buildings and it is the biggest of Ludwig II of Bavaria's palaces. It is in a sense a monument to his adoration of Louis XIV. In the great hall of mirrors of the palace the ceiling is painted with 25 tableaux showing Louis XIV at his best.

It was to have been a full scale replica of the Palace of Versailles but only the central portion was built before the king died. 50 of the 70 rooms of the palace are still unfinished. It was never meant to be a perfectly exact replica of Versailles. At several places it surpasses !

Ludwig II became famous for the fortune he did spent on building his castles.

Between 1863 and 1886 a total of 16,579,674 Marks was spent constructing Herrenchiemsee. An 1890 '20 Mark' gold coin contained .2304 troy ounces of gold. Therefore, 16,579,674 Marks would equate to 190,998 oz of gold, which at recent gold prices (March 2007) is worth approximately £70,500,240 English Pounds or (August 2007) $125,380,637 United States of America Dollars! 120 years ago!

I add in no more words... the following photos (sorry we are not photogenic), will describe better this wonder (yes Sharon, yes I know, you are also a wonder, but this time I'm talking about the Castle !).

One important suggestion.... if you plan a trip here and you are in need to bite something, call it "food" please bring along a dictionary of German because although this is an international tourist destination, at the major restaurants, no one waitress speak a word of English.

I would like to thanks my teacher of latin in high school that during some breaks did teach us some words of German that helped me already few times around Germany.

You are advised ! Otherwise bring your own food along!

It's almost 6pm and sun is setting down the west as every its evening....

We're walking to our car with a soft wet breeze arising from the lake, as something want to regards us for the last time...

There is something that remain in ourselves everytime we enter in one of these castles, something that you can still feel alive, no matter it's more than 100 years old.
Is it the sound of horse running in dark roads to bring some princess of royalty ?
Is it the silence of the place broken only by the harmonic notes of Wagner music in background played in favour of the King ?
Is it because in each of these castles, Ludwig II did not sleep more than a few weeks ?
Or maybe because all of his Castle have never been completed, like the best of the opera should be ?
I don't know, but for sure, yes this I'm sure about it, there is something magic, probably the same feeling Ludwig II had when he decide to build such wonders.

They say the best and most romantic moment to come here is during winter when the lake is frozen, and the armony of silence is more powerful than ever.

Bye Bye Herrenchiemsee, just a "see you soon" because I will come again soon!

[to be continue...]

PM: Rumours of racial clashes are lies

KUALA LUMPUR: Rumours that racial clashes have occurred in Pasir Gudang, Johor, are “lies, lies and nothing more than lies,” said Datuk Seri Abdullah Ahmad Badawi.

The Prime Minister said the rumours were an attempt to create an uneasy atmosphere, incite anger and tension among the people.

“All these are lies made up by people who have nothing better to do,” he said after chairing the Umno supreme council meeting yesterday.

Abdullah, who is the Umno president, said such lies were slanderous and a big sin for Muslims.

“Allah curses people like that but these people can’t be bothered and do it anyway,” he added.

Yesterday and the day before, Johor was abuzz with rumours that racial fights had broken out in Pasir Gudang.

The police, too, had denied the rumours but some people still avoided going to the area.

To a question on people who raised racially sensitive issues, Abdullah said these people did not think about unity and the good of the country.

“They can give their views but just don’t cause chaos among our people and the country,” he said.

Abdullah said action would be taken on those who go overboard and cause tension among the racial groups.

With only three days to go to the 50th Merdeka celebration, the Prime Minister urged Malaysians to fly the flag and display their pride for the country.

“What’s wrong with spending RM2 or RM3 to buy a flag? This is a very important day for us, a day on which we should express our pride and gratitude for what we have achieved and enjoyed for over 50 years,” he said.

“I hope Malaysians will feel proud. There are other countries where there are internal fights and are poverty stricken. We do not experience such situations – perhaps only once on 13 May (1969).

“So show that you love the country and are grateful that the country is progressive, peaceful and safe. If you don’t get flags for free, buy them. If they are sold out, then make your own,” he said.

Abdullah said not everyone got everything that they wanted and acknowledged that there were still parts of the country which were still not so developed, where there were poor people.

He said the Government would continue to do its duty and bring development to these areas.

“We will continue to do what we have done for the past 50 years,” he added.

My 2 cents:

"We will continue to do what we have done for the past 50 year" = NOTHING good or maybe NOTHING AT ALL!

People I believe is curious to know why the PM rush to calm down a boiling situation that is arising a bit too much over the limit recently not only in the south but almost everywhere else in Malaysia and Singapore as well.

Simple: next GE (General Elections) are knocking at the door and guess what ?
The Government has lost the repution because of too many corruptions scandals recently (see my post of yesterday as one example) and they are afraid to lose this turn of votes in favor of the opposition party leaded by the majority and most powerfull richest and dynamic people in Malaysia: the Chinese community!

Anyway here below you can find 2 import links; I believe you will be delighted to read behind the fake "multi-racial" concept issued by the Government in last 30 years. There is no other countries in the world (imho) where there is so much racism and separation among citizens. It seems to be back of 100 years to something like the Italian's "secret society" with the Chinese living their daily lives undergroundly, running 90% of the national business and mostly carrying the 90% of the private richness of this country with the others, you know who, spindling around asking for free-money after been spoon-feeded by their majors for years pretending that anything must be allowed to them and granted again for free.

Enjoy your reading...

May 13th

Marina Yusof

31st August 2007. Malaysia 50th anniversary!

Next Friday 31st August will be Malaysia 50th Anniversary of Indipendence.

50 years.... and today we still find that....

Govt throws lifeline to Port Klang Free Zone

PORT KLANG: After weeks of speculation, the government broke its silence yesterday with a firm undertaking to support the controversial Port Klang Free Zone (PKFZ) in Pulau Indah.

The Transport Ministry said in a statement that the total outlay for the Port Klang Authority (PKA) project was estimated at RM4.632 billion, after interest, professional and variation charges were added to the RM1.088 billion in the purchase price of the 405ha site and development costs of RM1.845 billion.

"Because of the high overall cost of the PKFZ, the government has approved a soft loan to the PKA. Details of the borrowing are being finalised," the ministry said.

The project has been criticised as too expensive, particularly after its price tag ballooned from a reported RM1.1 billion at the time of its inception in 1999 to a level that has left the PKA deeply in debt.

In a breakdown of the free trade zone’s costs, the ministry said the PKA had bought the land from Kuala Dimensi Sdn Bhd at RM25 per sq ft, based on a valuation conducted by the Valuation and Property Services Department.

Kuala Dimensi, an "associate" of Wijaya Baru Global Bhd, had bought the undeveloped property in 1999 from a local co-operative for RM95 million or RM3 per sq ft.

The ministry said the PKA’s purchase price was reached because of work done on the site, including land reclamation, drainage, construction of access roads, installation of street lights, water services and payment to various utility agencies.

"The repayment period to Kuala Dimensi is 15 years at an interest rate of 7.5 per cent and the land cost came up to RM1.807 billion."

It also explained that an initial plan to develop PKFZ in two phases had been merged into one on the advice of the then PKFZ operator, Jebel Ali Free Zone Authority (Jafza).

Jafza exited the management contract signed in October 2003 last month, citing "strategic" reasons.

Upon Jafza’s recommendation, the development costs of PKFZ totalled RM1.845 billion, comprising four blocks of eight-storey leased office buildings, 512 light industrial units, three-storey free zone authority office, three-storey Customs office and checkpoint, 175,000 sq ft exhibition centre, a multi-storey car park, security building and ancillary buildings.

It also included infrastructure work such as landscaping and security fencing, the upgrading of roads leading to the PKFZ, construction of a 135-room business-class hotel, electrical works and construction of a 42km concrete trenching.

"Taking into account the land acquisition and development costs, as well as 7.5 per cent interest rate, 10 per cent professional fee and 20 per cent variation order, the entire development cost of PKFZ is RM4.632 billion."

It maintained that the PKFZ, which opened for business last November, was a viable national project to enhance Port Klang as a loading centre, stimulate the economy, create spin-off activities and provide jobs.

and then the surprise in typical Malaysia style....

All charges dropped against Zakaria, partners

By WANI MUTHIAH

KLANG: All 37 charges against controversial Port Klang assemblyman Datuk Zakaria Md Deros and five of his business partners instituted by the Companies Commission (CC) have been withdrawn.

The CC had taken Zakaria and the five to court by virtue of their position as directors of Harvest Court Industries Bhd and Titi Steel Sdn Bhd, which had contravened the Companies Act 1965.

Each charge could be punished with a fine of up to RM30,000 and five years jail.

They were charged with failing to notify of change of address, failing to hold annual general meetings, failing to submit financial statements and failing to submit profit-and-loss accounts.

Mozni Sham Ahmad and Joseph R. Samuel who appeared for Zakaria, his partners and the two companies said the charges were withdrawn because the "outstanding problems had been settled".

Companies Commission's prosecutor Azmil Haron told magistrate Fadzilatul Isma Ahmad Refngah that he had been instructed to withdraw the charges against the two companies and its directors.

If I can avoid any comments because I'm definitively tired to speak to the wind, someone, Malaysian, through her blog, one of the most views and followed, speak out simply straight to the point:


[quote]

Grievous Insult

The other day Mike Tyson accused Raja Petra Kamarudin of among other things, insulting Islam.

As a Muslim, let me tell you what is insulting to my religion.

It is insulting when Pak Lah says he is guided by the principles of his so-called Islam Hadhari concept, but does nothing against Umno members involved in the totally un-Islamic affair called Port Klang Free Zone.

The worst thing in this whole thing, as far as I am concerned, is that the Umno thieves basically made use of a fishermen’s cooperative, Syarikat Koperasi Nelayan Melayu Pulau Indah, to make a huge profit from a land deal.

They used poor people for their own greedy ends — how much lower can you get? Ini Islam ke ni, Pak Lah?

It is even more insulting to Islam when after so much has been aired in public, the Prime Minister, a Muslim leader and tireless proponent of Islam Hadhari, has said and done so little. Islam apa ni, Pak Lah?

Beberapa pejuang agama, bangsa dan negara

Islam is a religion that burns with righteousness when it speaks and acts against the oppression of the weak, the poor and the downtrodden. This makes Pak Lah’s silence and inaction against his party members involved in the PKFZ scandal even more telling.

Again I ask: Islam apa ni, Pak Lah, when you do nothing?

This man urges Muslims to show the “true” face of Islam, and markets his Islam Hadhari as that “true face”, and what does he do in this instance?

NOTHING.

Hina, lagi menghinakan. MERDEKA!

[/quote]


My 2 cents here... Do you still consider Malaysia a developed country ?
Do you still wanna come Malaysia as an FDI ?
I'm really curious to see where Malaysia will be next year in list of most corropted countries.

Happy Merdeka Malaysia !!!
(Merdeka = Indipendence, Merdeka that sound so familiar with another Italian word... MERDx, that probably is more appropriate than Indipendence! Yes Malaysia you're really a MERDx)

Neuschwanstein Castle! An eternal mystery

It has been my 4th time here the 2nd for Sharon; honestly I'm impressed all the times I come to visit this castle.

It's huge, amazing, mysterious, scenic, and thousand words are still not enough to describe the feeling you can prove when you reach the top of the hill.

It's not only beatiful, but simply a shocking proof of european engineering and manufacturing quality if you consider that some of its bulding technics (end of 19th century) has been only recently introduced in... Malaysia for the development of new housing estate! (120 years later).

We've been lucky because we arrived in Fussen for a late lunch (1:30pm) and we did take our time to enjoy the first local meal. We approched the Castle's ticket office at 3pm to found that selling tickets was for the next day approx lunch time. Lucky, I was telling, because 2 korean tourist approched Sharon (probably because of the asian features) and asked whether we was interested to buy 2 tickets for the tour. With our surprise, the tour was in 1 hour time, just nice to walk up to the hill and wait a while there. I was a bit scare to buy, but after I saw that they was in tour group, well, I said to Sharon: "she can cheat me for only 18,- euro" and did take the risk. Everything okay (Koreans are not Italians) and our afternoon has been great.

The atmosphere you can feel inside the castle is something can't be described here, all the times.

It was almost 7pm when we reach the main plaza nearby the ticket office, so we decide to complete our first day in romantic way; we take a room at the hotel in the castle area and spent a sweet night over there. Our dinner ? Italian pizza in an italian restaurant in Fussen, ready for an energetic next day ahead....

[to be continued...]

King Ludwig II.
King of Bavaria 1864 - 1886,

* 25. 8. 1845 Nymphenburg,

† 13. 6. 1886 in Lake Starnberg.

http://www.neuschwanstein.de/english/index.htm

Even before he died, the king had already become something of a legend. "I want to remain an eternal mystery to myself and others", Ludwig once told his governess, and it is this mysterious element that still fascinates people today. The poet Paul Verlaine called Ludwig II the "only true king of this century". The shy dreamer, who had none of the typical characteristics of a popular king, lives on, still idolized, as "the Kini".

His palaces, which were barred to strangers, have been visited by over 50 million people since his death. They are records in stone of the ideal fantasy world which the king built as a refuge from reality. His historic, poetic and ideal interpretation of his role as king was finally his downfall. It is possible that he preferred to die rather than return to reality.

..and the night was coming, while Mozart music was enchanting the whole Baveria

Austria, Germany and their Tyrol and Baveria has been always fascinating me, with their courtesy, scenary, country-side, clean air and very good food (well not good as italian, but almost near).

I did bring Sharon to Baveria on her first trip to Italy last time in 2001 during full winter (december) with a magnificient scenario surrounded with snow and silence.

So to find a peace place for our stressed souls we decided to borrow my father car and re-make the same trip (at least initially) for a "one week" relaxation; we left Italy on Saturday 04th August without any schedule, any hotel booking, without a plan at all. Germany & Austria's Gasthaus/Gastof are something unique, small family hostels, fantastically clean (as probably nowhere else in the world), at a reasonable price, for a wonderful rest for you and your loved one.

And again one thing I was missing from my Europe : good manners and good courtesy.

Low down your car windscreen and people simply approch you asking whether you need help.

They english (half broken) but simply amazing with courtesy and love.

Something missing here in Malaysia (really ? yes for sure) and anywhere else, including Singapore (the Switzerland of Asia) where if you have $$$ you can obtain what you are looking for, including Thailand for the same reason, where foreigners are always "farang" split into 2 categories: Farang WITH and Farang WITHOUT (guess what... money)!

Yes, Germany & Austria, trademarks of quality, perfectionism and absolute superiority in service and efficiency. No one time we had problems, no one times food in delay at restaurant, or mistakes in bills, or whatever. Simply perfect! Simply great!

Thanks Germany and Thanks Austria for the wondeful holiday I've spent there in your countries. You are just 200km far from my hometown but you're so different!

Back to life...

So here I'm seated in my HO (Home office) re-shuffling all memories of last 20 days.

It has been a long wonderful trip to my Europe, my Italy, my mountains with my wife, my parents and my friends all.
Many news, many thoughts, many joyous moments.
And as usual, as for all the things that we would like never end, it comes to an end.

Today Sunday 26th August, we're here with many type others of mountains, me with all documents and work to be done, a new schedule for the week, a new strategy to develop for near future and a mountain of business ideas to develop (yes, because there are a lot of business opportunity right out there, just simply our eyes are not open wide enough to see them) for the long term future, re-arranging our bags to be ready for a new fight tomorrow morning in office.

My wife with small hills (not those of shoes) of clothes split by different colors, material, all destinate to her lover for this week : the washing machine.
65 kg into 2 large cargo bag fully loaded of clothes (many but just enough for these 3 weeks), books (that we didn't read and we won't read forever), shoes, etc. etc..

Our head is quite heavy today, not sure whether because stepping outside of our house is like entering in a full running oven, or simply because our memories and worries are too many to carry all together.

So, do you want to help us ? Okay, I'll let you carry some of our memories, our thoughts that I'm going to share with you here above.
I'm not a journalist so don't pretend a detailed report. Simply ask if you curios to know.

And to those of you all that want to know why we love mountains so much, well come in Malaysia and live with 30+ 'C for whole year and once you will get a chance to fly away, I doubt you'll choose a sea side destination, right ?


Love!

Sorry all folks... We're in vacation

Back to normal life in few weeks.
Many things to share... just give me few more days to tidy up my ideas....
Love you!