Cherita Kereta Orang Lama

Last weekend, on a very fine Sunday my dear old grandpa shared with me his personal history of car ownership. I should write it down here, lest I forget it... Time has never been friendly with my memory...

He was a teacher by profession, since 13 of age, and later went on to become a headmaster at a local primary school, and the first ever car which he bought was a second-hand Morris Minor, which often had problems and was not very usable, to him at least... so he traded it for a brand-spanking new (at that time, of course) Volkswagen Beetle, fresh off the showroom. He was happier with the Beetle, one of the very few people back then to be driving around on dirty, muddy, makeshift roads, if you could even call them roads... Next came an Italian, a Fiat, I'm not sure what model... didn't ask him for some reason... could probably be a 600, since those were quite common at the time...

*Fiat 124 according to Rusmini Ku Ahmad... Thanks :)

Then came the Japanese era... He bought a Datsun, again I'm not sure what model... And when the Malaysian automotive industry was born, he supported it my getting one of the early Saga models... He eventually gave the Saga to my uncle, when he had just started work as a doctor... while my uncle was using the Saga to commute to and from work at the Alor Star General Hospital, Wan bought a Toyota Corolla, the one that's three generations behind the current-selling Corolla Altis, for his personal use. Later on my uncle would trade the old Saga for another Corolla, a generation ahead from Wan's own Corolla... Two Toyotas in the family...

*Datsun 120Y according to Rusmini Ku Ahmad... Thanks :)

After some time of driving around in the Corolla, he got bored with it, and sold it to his close relative... Then he bought a Proton Iswara Aeroback, a turquoise one, maybe because he misses his old Saga...

After a few years with the Iswara, he finally gave it to my aunt, a teacher who was newly-married at that time and with her first child... :)

Currently he is driving a Peugeot 206 (strictly not a Naza Bestari) which was my mum's previous car. He is a very happy man with a very happy Peugeot now... :)

My dear old Grandpa is a very interesting man with an interesting (maybe boring to you, but hey... my grandpa, not yours.. :P) car history, and for that I solute him...

Can't wait to start my own car story... what shall I start with? When will a Fiesta come in? God knows. Hmmmm... however the story starts, I shall be determined to put a Porsche, and maybe an Aston too, somewhere in the plot...

Because you can learn one or two things from your elders;

The Simple Pleasures of Motoring

Who needs a turbo or a supercharger? When it comes to natural aspiration, Porsche shows you how it's done, introducing their most powerful NA 911 yet; the 911 GT3 RS 4.0...

Straight to the specs & facts:
-4.0L, 6-cylinder boxer engine
-forged pistons
-titanium connecting rods and crankshaft
-500hp at 8250 rpm
-339 lb-ft of torque at 5750 rpm
-0-60mph in 3.8 secs
-193mph tops
-reaches 124 mph in less than 12 secs (neck-bending)
-6-speed manual gearbox
-7 mins 27 secs Nurburgring lap time
-$185,000
-600 limited production run

What a whopper. To the core. Impressive, naturally...

That's all worth writing at the moment, because the exams are coming around, and I have to study to be able to afford one of these someday...

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/28/officially-official-2011-porsche-911-gt3-rs-4-0/

Because the Porsche ambition is very well alive;

F(whichever way you want it) Friday

Fridays have never been this mundane... a new level of boredom has been achieved... kudos...

Last day of lectures for this semester, well spent (HAHA).

Wrapping up our research paper after Friday prayers... Thanks Haizeer, Paqa, Daus... and my deepest apologies for any sort of 'kekurangan' throughout our working days... and I apologize too for any unmet expectations here and there... I'm not the most formal guy in the world...

Went for a jog... a proper one, mind you (no offence, ;-) ) found out that in the same amount of time that you can spend lying in bed, listening to 5 songs, you can jog a full lap around the UTP ring road... figures...

Best jogging track ever, the UTP ring road... you get the smell of the forest as you jog along... simple pleasures of campus life :)

But still, something's missing... not sure how to put it... that oh so elusive human touch... I feel like a robot, pounding the tarmac, earphone-in-right-ear, for 30+ minutes... no jogging buddy... :)

Most people are going back home for the study week... but I'm stuck here, stumped with boredom with my naturally compatible roommate, Ace... It's not a bad thing, mind you... I'll spend my study week studying, thanks very much... ;-) Although I must admit, that though my hands and feet are in campus... my heart lies... with someone else... well not literally, of course... poetically speaking... -_-
Glad you're home, homesick-cured :)

I shall retreat to the comfort of studying, for knowledge is power, and a form of love towards God and humanity (Ahmad, 2011).

Because campus life is as grand as it gets... (cue sarcasm)

I'll Stand By You (an apology)

[Originally performed by The Pretenders]

~
Oh why you look so sad
The tears are in your eyes
Come on and come to me now
Don’t be ashamed to cry
Let me see you through
Cause I’ve seen the dark side too

When the night falls on you
You don't know what to do
Nothing you confess
Could make me love you less

I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you

So if you're mad get mad
Don’t hold it all inside
Come on and talk to me now
Hey, what you got to hide
I get angry too
Well I’m a lot like you

When you're standing at the crossroads
And don't know which path to choose
Let me come along
Cause even if you're wrong

I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Take me in into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you

And when, when the night falls on you, baby
You feeling all alone
You won't be on your own

I’ll stand by you
I’ll stand by you
Won’t let nobody hurt you
I’ll stand by you
Take me in into your darkest hour
And I’ll never desert you
I’ll stand by you
~

Because assumptions lead to misunderstandings;

44 and College-Bound

I wished you last night and I'll wish you again,

Happy birthday, mak.. !!!

Must be great being 44... I wouldn't know... :)

Because age is just a number (credits Ace)... :)

Beetle of the Bunch

The third generation People's Car recently made its debut last week, carrying with it the tag-line 'The 21st Century Beetle'. On first impressions, the 2012 Beetle seems only like slight exterior cosmetic updates, most notably for the bumpers, lights and roofline.

But that's before you delve deeper into the offering;

The car that started out originally as Heir Hitler's brainchild of an affordable car for the masses has been completely redesigned inside and out. It's grown more macho now, if macho is the right word to describe a beetle in the first place... It's got less curves and more straight lines, a more straightened-up roof compared to the last Beetle's totally curved-out dome-of-a-roof, a very wide, gaping, aggressive bumper, and even a cool set of wheels with red brake calipers thrown in for added effect. And the interior is no feminine affair, either. I'd go for a car based on the looks and feel of it's steering wheel alone, and the 2012 Beetle has one of the nicest-looking steering wheels around... What a shift from the previous, strictly female-only Beetle... :)

Don't try to lie to yourself; the new Volkswagen Beetle is a looker; completely likable, and refreshingly unique. Emotion sells, and the Beetle has got that elusive emotional factor in play that only it can pull off. No other car can compare to it's uniqueness. If you know that a car looks good and try your best to convince yourself why it looks good, but can't point out exactly why, then you know that car is special. The Beetle will forever remain the industry icon, and yet we can't really explain why...

You know you want one... so don't lie to yourself; God, I am such a sucker for small cars...

I think a black Beetle would look nice, parked in the garage beside a white Fiesta... :)

Because you can't put a price on history;

Links;
http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/22/new-york-2011-every-new-vw-beetle-will-be-a-second-generation-d/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Volkswagen_Beetle

Strings of Thought

"Why do people often feel that they are not good enough for some apparent reason, when in fact they are sincerely perfect in their very own special way?"

Because success is meaningless without happiness;

Strings of Thought

"Sometimes it's good to lie to yourself; thinking that you can achieve anything you set your mind to, when in reality, all the odds are against you..."

Because sometimes, all you have is hope...

White Fiesta

No wonder you like it so much... It won the 2010 New Straits Times/Maybank Compact Car of the Year Award!! :)

Plus it has a very cool center console with all the buttons you could ever need, its design and layout inspired by hand-phone ergonomics...

It looks neat, drives great, compact yet roomy... sporty yet practical...the perfect package...everything you need and more... just don't ever park it at a weird angle ... and never forget to turn off the lights :)

One question; would you prefer the four-door, or the two-door? :)

And if you want, I can always help you pay for the nice number plate... all you have to do is ask :)

Because you should fall drive slowly and enjoy the journey... :)

Masculinity

Yeah, that's right. Nobody will ever dare to label you as a soft-bellied wuss if you own the keys to the beast that is the M5. The old one hardly acquired any wrinkles on its flamed-surfaced body panels, even though it has already been in service for 5 years. And yet all great things must come to an end, making way for a brighter, promising, and more exciting future.

Enter the 2011 BMW M5 Concept. Recently previewed in Germany and headed for the Shanghai Motor Show later this month, don't let the fact that this masterpiece is a concept fool you; this is 99.99 percent the real deal when it goes into production late this year.

As a car, there is no argument that it is flawless from every conceivable angle, whether literally or metaphorically. It's got heritage. It's got looks. It's got power, performance, practicality, personality, and every other 'p' you could think of. It's the most well-rounded car money has to offer, and you could never go wrong on spending a small fortune on a piece of greatness. Money is no object for perfection, and the M5 sets you back a tonne of the green stuff, so in essence, it is without a doubt perfect.

Returning to the subject of masculinity, why did I made such a bold claim on self-image in relation to the M5? Well, it's because it's the obvious truth. The M5 is proof that there are men out there man enough not to sacrifice power and performance for family values. Whoever said that you can't have genuine fun in a sedan must be the kind of person who is boring, pessimistic and never, ever smiles to children and the elderly. Besides, it's downright unfair if only you alone reap the simple pleasures of driving. The wife and kids should unquestionably be taken along for the 'sheer driving pleasure' experience. Power should be equally distributed among the family, and the M5 is the perfect power-tool for the job.

Predecessor-successor relations rarely are on good terms, but with the coming of the new M5, a legend has to step down, giving way to the start of a new era of unparalleled equal in performance and practicality. Only the M5 has achieved this level of greatness, comparable to none.

I'd have one in that exact shade of silver, thanks.

http://www.autoblog.com/2011/04/04/bmw-m5-concept-revealed-official/

Because family should be valued;

One in a Million

More than one million MyKad reported missing

By ROZAID A. RAHMAN and IWAN SHU-ASWAD SHUAIB
newsdesk@thestar.com.my

PUTRAJAYA: More than a million MyKad have been reported missing since 2008, reportedly due to carelessness, natural disasters and criminal incidents like thefts and robberies.

Those who applied to get replacements for their lost MyKad were penalised with fines - totalling RM29.06mil up to the end of last month - depending on the excuses given to the National Registration Department (NRD) for the loss.

“Losing your MyKad is a serious matter as it is an important document implicating security and personal details of our citizens,” NRD director-general Datuk Alwi Ibrahim said.

“Each loss involves costs and the fines imposed are subject to how often it occurs, the reason for the loss and the appeals and consideration of the NRD,” he told Mingguan mStar, the weekly Bahasa Malaysia pullout of The Star.

“There are cases of applicants being exempted from fines or given reductions,” he said, adding there were fewer cases in recent years because people had become more careful about their MyKad.

Alwi said there were 198,102 reports of MyKad losses last year, compared to 356,605 in 2009 and 359,477 in 2008.

He said those who lose their MyKad for the first time will be fined RM100 and RM200 for the second time.

The fine increases by RM100 for every subsequent loss.

Effective last month, a police report is no longer required to apply for a replacement passport or MyKad.

This is part of the NRD's move to cut down on red tape and costs.

Home Ministry secretary-general Datuk Seri Mahmood Adam said last week Malaysians who lost their passport or MyKad could directly apply to the NRD for a replacement.

However, a police report is necessary if the loss was caused by an extraordinary circumstance, such as theft or robbery, where the person was victimised.

Over 28.99 million MyKad were issued over the past decade (2000 to 2010).

(From The Star, 03.04.2011)

Because the past is the past;