Brain Oddities: Spelling is Irrelevant to Comprehension - See, you're smart!

Brain Oddities: Spelling is Irrelevant to Comprehension

By Barry Ritholtz - December 13th, 2010, 9:15AM

In trying to make sense of the world around us, our brains have evolved to do some very odd things. The more we learn about our cognitive processes, the more it seems we have inherited a very weird wetware set, filled with bizarre and misleading foibles.
While most of the cognitive errors I reference here work against us — especially as investors — today’s example of a cognitive process works strangely in the brain’s favor:  Spelling don’t matter. Comprehension remains essentially unchanged, even when all letters of a word are totally mixed up — just so long as the first and last letters are in their proper place.
Spelling, it seems, is irrelevant to comprehension. Try this jumble below and see if the flawed wetware you call a brain can read it:
>

>
Pretty cool, eh? Quite a marvelous set of neurons you got there . . .
(Source)

1 Malaysia email: Tricubes Bhd indirectly owned by Nazir Razak! Untung!

1Malaysia email: Tricubes Berhad dimiliki secara tidak langsung adik Najib
(Translated from an article written in Chinese in Merdeka Review)


For a more detailed analysis, click here to read anil netto's Tricubes Berhad and 1Malaysia email.

1 Malaysia email sparks online protests - even Altantuya is not missed out!

1 Malaysia email sparks online protests

 

 

1 Malaysia trying to save troubled Tricubes in the name of free email acct?

The little known technology firm is one of the 12 companies listed by Bursa Malaysia as a GN3 company because of its “poor or adverse financial condition”.

Under Bursa Malaysia guidelines, the GN3-status classification would make the company eligible to seek help from the Corporate Debt Restructuring Committee to restructure its debts.

Tricubes could be delisted if it fails to convince Bursa that it has a proper recovery plan within 12 months, which include the settlement of all its debts.

The RM50 million government contract will no doubt help breath new life in the ailing company.

The 1Malaysia Email Project is conceived to provide email accounts for official purposes to all Malaysians aged 18 and above.

According to Prime Minister Najib Razak today, the email allow direct and secure communication between Malaysian citizens and the government.

Its purpose, he added, is also to enhance the delivery of government services to consumers and businesses alike.

However, government think-tank Pemandu is quick to clarify that the email project is a “private sector-led initiative by Tricubes, with investment from the company and not the government”.

It also stressed that the 1Malaysia email address is “not compulsory for all Malaysians”.

Opposition politicians and members of the public, however, have already starting blasting the project.

'The rip-off of the century'

An anti-1Malaysia e-mail Facebook account has already been set up with 1,500 members on board less than three hours after it was set up slightly before 4.30pm.

Through Twitter, meanwhile, messages have already spread criticisms against the idea. Among them was from DAP stalwart Lim Kit Siang, who described the idea and RM50 million fund as “the rip-off of the century.”

Batu MP Tian Chua, in his tweet, asked whether Najib could offer a 1Malaysia diaper for every newborn baby, or a toilet bowl for every household.

Bukit Lanjan assemblyperson, Elizabeth Wong, questioned how the e-mails could be provided free of charge.

“What became of the Perak government's free email project some years' ago?” asked the Selangor exco member.

PAS' Titiwangsa MP Dr Lo'Lo Mohd Ghazali tweeted tongue-in-cheek that RM50 million could have been used to buy four big screen to add to the two 35-story screens already fixed onto two sides of the Umno-owned Putra World Trade Centre building.

She also questioned who would audit the costs of the project.

Subang Jaya assemblyperson Hannah Yeoh, meanwhile, asked: If the federal government can give all Malaysians a 1Malaysia email account, why cant they register voters automatically?

“I do not want to have a BN email account as 1Malaysia is BN,” she added.

Malaysiakini chief executive officer Premesh Chandran said the costs of maintaining the e-mail project would by itself by controversial: “There is a need to maintain the site. Most of it will be for maintenance, to have the software in place, and make sure it is up to date. There is also the danger of spamming, so it involves a lot of risk and possibly costs,” he said.

Half of Msians without Internet access

“Google has had problems of it being hacked and has withdrawn from China recently because of this after it had invested billions. So the company developing this will have to take note,” he said.

Furthermore, Premesh asked, why is there a need for separate 1Malaysia email account given many Malaysians already have their own emails.

“A cheaper solution is to approach established companies like Google to provide emails. Malaysiakini staff have already adopted Google for its email and its free,” he said.

Premesh said further that Google - which the government can negotiate with to obtain minimal costs - has the experience to speak on its behalf.

Since 50 percent of Malaysians do not even have Internet access, why give them emails, Premesh asked further.

On the other hand, there are seven million Facebook users in Malaysia and such messages could be delivered via facebook for free.

He also questioned why users would want to access their bills via the 1Malaysia email account when some have already registered their emails with service providers like Telekom Malaysia, and Tenaga Nasional Berhad.

“When we go to the National Registration Department, they also ask if we have an email on their form. So would there now be duplication?” he asked.

'Big Brother' concerns

Malaysiakini columnist Oon Yeoh (left), when contacted, agreed the needed details regarding the initiative are lacking.

Three things come to mind when evaluating the effectiveness - or otherwise - of the 1Malaysia email, he noted.

Firstly, will it garner immediate response from government departments or agencies if the people use it to ask something of them, he asked.

"Presumably the use of 1Malaysia email is to identify whether the sender is authentic and by all (Malaysians) having an account, it makes it easily detectable.

"However, if the response does take more than 24 hours, people would not want to use it. Why should they, if the response takes so long?

"The proof of the pudding is in the tasting', as they say. If there is a failed response to this project, it would not be used," said Oon.

Secondly, people in the US and UK do not like to interact with the government due to concerns over privacy and confidentiality of information.

"It would be interesting to see the response of Malaysians to," said Oon.

Thirdly, the term 1Malaysia is deemed political and people with Pakatan Rakyat may not want to use for its connection to the BN.

"Rightfully, it is seen as a political slogan which may not appeal to those in the opposition. They may not want to use it at all and this would isolate its use to certain people.

"Ultimately, there is too little known about the project, such as what it entails, what it means when they say it is a private project," he added.

Funny Magazine Ad for the Canon 40D vs. Olympus E-3 Fastest Autofocus!

 

(Source)

Bapa borek anak rintik: Mukhriz, like his old man Tun, plays the race card!

Tuesday April 19, 2011

Mukhriz: Urban Chinese will get nothing in the end

PASIR MAS: Urban Chinese who shunned Barisan Nasional in the Sarawak election will be the ultimate losers as the state is too ethnically diversified for the Opposition to form the state government, said Datuk Mukhriz Mahathir.

“Sarawak has over 25 ethnic groups and it is near impossible for the Opposition to win all their hearts and form a new state government,” said the Jerlun MP.

“Therefore, it is unfortunate for the urban Chinese. DAP cannot make any changes to the voters’ lives in terms of socio-economic aspects,” he said, adding that the scenario was unlike in Penang where DAP was able to fulfil the promises it made to the voters.

In the April 16 elections, DAP won 12 of the 15 predominantly urban Chinese seats it contested in, suggesting that the Chinese had rejected Barisan Nasional.

“I believe the Chinese were unhappy with something and Barisan is looking into this matter,” said the Deputy International Trade and Industries Minister after opening SM Sultan Ibrahim I here yesterday.

In PORT KLANG, former prime minister Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad labelled DAP leaders as racist, accusing them of deceiving the Chinese into voting for the party.

“They have torn the Chinese apart from the rest of the races,” he told reporters after launching a cutter suction dredger Inai Liatree at the Selat Melaka Shipbuilding Corporation Sdn Bhd shipyard near Westport here.

Earlier in his blog, Dr Mahathir said a two-party system based on race would not contribute to stability or national unity.

He said Malaysia faced a grave danger of being divided by two parties. “One, Malay-dominated by default and the other – Chinese, by choice.”

DAP, he said, had destroyed Barisan’s power and its wealth-sharing formula by separating the Chinese from the rest.

“I congratulate DAP for bringing its racist politics to Sarawak,” he said sarcastically. “Before this, all races co-operated well with each other for the good of Sarawak. Now the Chinese community in Sarawak has rejected multi-racialism.”

Malaysians plagued by poor purchasing power - Thanks BN Barang Naik!

Malaysians plagued by poor purchasing power

By Lee Wei Lian, Yow Hong Chieh and Melissa Chi

April 19, 2011

Analysts say the undervalued ringgit distorts the country’s purchasing power for imported goods. — Reuters file pic

KUALA LUMPUR, April 19 — Malaysians who find themselves affording less than their contemporaries overseas have distorted and inefficient markets, lack of competition, low wages and a weak ringgit to thank for their poor purchasing power, which in the case of KL, is only 34 per cent that of New York.

Despite government assurances stating that inflation is under control, Malaysians are becoming increasingly restive over the cost of goods in relation to wages, especially those who are able to compare the corresponding price-to-wage ratios in developed economies.

Malaysians who have experienced working and living abroad often experience sticker shock when they come back and see prices in KL.

“Oh my God, a Tiramisu is RM15!” said Calvin Lee, a Malaysian who has lived in Sydney, Singapore and now London, referring to what cafes in KL are charging for a slice of cake as compared to about GBP5 (RM25) in London.

Aidi Zalman, a consultant who studied in the UK, told The Malaysian Insider that salaries in London could go much further than KL.

He had worked part-time as a waiter in London and noted that a single day’s wages of about GBP50-60 was already enough for him to buy a pair of branded shoes and even a low-end iPod, a concept unthinkable for local waiters.

“GBP100 can feed two apartments of students for a week,” he said. “Here you can spend RM100 and get hardly anything.”

“I hate it when politicians make stupid statements like Malaysia is cheap,” said Edward Seah, an engineer who has previously worked in Singapore and the US. “Prices might seem cheap when you convert it to US dollars yes, but then we should also convert our salaries to US dollars.”

Victor Wong, a Malaysian expat in Sydney, said that Australians get more mileage out of their money.

A report by Swiss bank UBS AG shows KL residents have to work 22 minutes to afford a loaf of bread as compared with 18 minutes in Los Angeles. — chenfurn.com pic

He gave the example of clothes where he said he can get a good quality shirt for about AUD100 but would need to spend about RM200 to get similar quality in KL.

Wong pointed out that even Asian food could be more affordable for those living in Sydney than KL.

“You pay RM15 for a bowl of soup noodles in KL shopping centres but only AUD10 in Sydney shopping centres,” he said.

The 2010 Prices and Wages report by Swiss bank UBS AG show that residents in KL have only 33.8 per cent the purchasing power of those in New York, 42 per cent that of London, 33.7 per cent that of Sydney, 32.6 per cent that of Los Angeles and 31.6 per cent that of Zurich.

The same study showed that on average, KL residents have to work 22 minutes to afford a loaf of bread as compared with 18 minutes in Los Angeles, 16 minutes in Sydney, 15 minutes in Tokyo and 12 minutes in Zurich.

The figures grow much worse for imported items. To buy an iPod Nano, a KL worker would have to labour a whopping 52 hours as compared with just 9.5 hours in Los Angeles and Sydney, 12 hours in Tokyo and nine hours in Zurich.

A check on salaries and prices in selected developed country cities by The Malaysian Insider showed that despite being touted as one of the world’s least expensive cities, KL residents pay as much or even more for chicken, broadband, cars and mobile phones as a percentage of their income.

Communications, for example, is one area where Malaysians are paying notably more than residents in developed countries even after currency conversion.

A 5Mbps broadband package costs RM149 in KL while in London, a 10Mbps package would cost GBP13.50, in Melbourne a 5-8Mbps package costs AUD40 and in New York, a 7Mbps service costs USD41.95.

Those who want to buy an iPhone 4 in KL, meanwhile, would have to pay RM1990 with a basic 24-month contract while in London, residents can get an iPhone 4 for just GBP199 with a basic 24-month contract and in Singapore, it costs just SGD210 with a basic contract.

Maybank Investment Bank chief economist Suhaimi Ilias said that what is important is local perception and not official inflation figures which claimed that the inflation rate in Malaysia was only 1.7 per cent last year.

“I think on the ground, not many people feel we are cheap,” said Suhaimi. “They feel that the cost of living is high regardless of what the inflation figures are.”

He added that inefficiency and lack of competition are contributing to the higher prices in Malaysia.

“I can’t understand why a motorcycle should have to cost RM6,000-7,000 and a car like the Perodua Viva should cost over RM30,000,” he said.

RAM Holdings chief economist Dr Yeah Kim Leng said that cars are one of the sectors where the Malaysian market suffers the heaviest distortion.

Despite being touted as one of the world’s least expensive cities, KL residents pay as much or even more for basic items as a percentage of their income. — gardkarlsen.com

A Honda Civic in KL costs about RM115,000, or 20 times the average monthly salary of an auditor.

In Melbourne and London by comparison, a Honda Civic costs AUD25,000 and GBP19,000 respectively, or only about three times the average salary of an auditor in those cities.

The high cost of cars is part of the reason that Malaysians have leveraged themselves to a record 76 per cent of the country’s GDP.

Bank Negara statistics show that at the end of last year, 20 per cent of Malaysian household debt was due to cars, an asset which depreciates over time.

Yeah also said that the ringgit is undervalued and distorts the country’s purchasing power for imported goods.

“We need to ensure prices are right and that there are no market distortions, no subsidies and allow market prices,” he said.

But even if the ringgit is allowed to rise, there is no guarantee that savings would be passed on to consumers. The ringgit is now hovering at RM3.02 to the US dollar but Goldman Sachs predicated yesterday the currency could hit RM2.98 to the US dollar in the next three months.

When The Malaysian Insider contacted the director of wholesale and retail at government think tank Performance Management and Delivery Unit (Pemandu), Ravidran Devagunam about the higher prices Malaysians pay for branded goods, he acknowledged that some retailers will maximise profits on luxury items not readily available in Malaysia but said that the government is “unable” to compel them to discount their prices even after the abolishment of import duties as luxury goods and apparel are not controlled items.

“However, we believe that market forces and consumer education will eventually force a price reduction of these goods over time,” he said.

The Federation of Malaysian Consumers Associations Secretary General Mohd Shaani Abdullah said people should question the prices that they are currently paying.

“Consumer protection will only come about when people make noise,” he told The Malaysian Insider when contacted. “Only then will politicians act.”