The Dream Government

i blog bout a 'Dream Country' in Feb 2010 where Gov Cabinet should be non politician... it is now a practice in Italy. The new PM have appointed his line-ups of futurist, strategist, educators and biz mens...

my blog: http://sharat-s.blogspot.com/2010/02/dream-country-malaysia.html#comment-form
Italy's PM news: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011/nov/16/mario-monti-technocratic-cabinet-italy


read on:



Mario Monti appoints technocrats to steer Italy out of economic crisis
Mario Monti, the former European commissioner, has been sworn in as Italy's prime minister along with the ministers of his new, technocratic government, charged with steering the eurozone's most indebted nation out of danger.

The 17-strong cabinet will be able to bring to bear on Italy's daunting problems a formidable amount of intellectual fire-power. More than a third of the seats in the cabinet will be occupied by professors, including the prime minister himself. Monti, a distinguished liberal economist, kept the finance and economics portfolios. He handed the economic development and infrastructure portfolios to Corrado Passera, the chief executive of Italy's biggest retail bank, Intesa Sanpaolo.

Three of the cabinet ministers are women, and two were appointed to top jobs: Anna Maria Cancellieri as interior minister and Paola Severino as justice minister. Elsa Fornero will have heavy responsibilities as minister for welfare and employment.

Speaking after announcing his cabinet, Monti said: "We feel sure of what we have done and we have received many signals of encouragement from our European partners and the international world. All this will, I trust, translate into a calming of that part of the market difficulty which concerns our country."

The new government took office at a time when Italy was engulfed by the eurozone crisis, with its benchmark borrowing costs at an unsustainably high level of more than 7%. The swearing in of the new government made little difference to sovereign yields but it appeared to cheer the Milan bourse which closed almost 0.8% up on a day that saw Frankfurt and London lose ground.

Monti confirmed he would take on the prime ministership after two days of consultations. The uncertainties surrounding the formation of the new government were maintained to the end by a much longer than expected two-and-a-half hour meeting between the incoming prime minister and the president.

The names on the list of his ministers – most of which were unknown to members of the Italian general public – showed that Monti had failed in his attempt to involve party representatives. His cabinet was made up exclusively of non-aligned specialists.

"The absence of political personalities in the government will help rather than hinder a solid base of support for the government in parliament and in the political parties because it will remove one ground for disagreement," he said.

The economics professor turned eurocrat managed to stave off – at least temporarily – demands from the outgoing prime minister, Silvio Berlusconi, and his party for the new government to have a limited programme and a fixed lifespan. The influence that Berlusconi's Freedom party will exercise over the new government was nevertheless made clear in the run-up to Wednesday's announcement.

Monti spent three hours at a meeting that finished after 2.30am, with Angelino Alfano, the secretary of Berlusconi's party, trying to reach agreement on the names of the new ministers. Berlusconi was ousted after losing his majority last week in the lower house of parliament, the chamber of deputies. But he and his former coalition allies in the Northern League can still command a majority in the senate. The prime minister will have to outline his government's programme and seek votes of confidence in both houses of parliament. The first is due to take place in the Senate on Thursday evening.

President Giorgio Napolitano asked Monti to form a government after Berlusconi's rightwing coalition lost a crucial vote in the lower house on the 2010 public accounts.

Meanwhile, Greece's new technocrat government won a confidence vote in parliament with a large majority , backing a pledge by prime minister Lucas Papademos to speed up long-term reforms and secure a massive new bailout deal involving banks and rescue creditors. In the country's 300-member parliament, 255 voted in favour of the new government formed last week by the majority socialists, rival conservatives and a small right-wing nationalist party. Only 38 voted against, while the remaining seven were absent.

Neanderthals Vs Evolution (part 2)

more to share... will get to my point later post...

enjoy reading... :)




Neanderthals: not stupid, just differentScientists challenge the theory that Homo sapiens was more intelligent

The established view of Neanderthals as backward, primitive, ape-like creatures is challenged today by new research showing they used stone tools as successfully as early humans.

A team from the University of Exeter, Southern Methodist University, Texas State University and the Think Tank Corporation spent three years producing stone tools to compare their use.

Their work suggests the tools Neanderthals used were just as efficient, if not more so, than those developed by Homo sapiens.

Homo sapiens and Neanderthals used flint stone tools known as "flakes'' made from fragments struck from a larger stone ''core''.

Homo sapiens later adopted ''blades'', which were flakes with parallel edges twice as long as they were wide and were thought to be more efficient.

The group tested the cutting ability and rate of manufacture of the two tools, and the findings, published in the Journal of Human Evolution today, show no statistical difference in the efficiency of the two technologies and, in some respects, the flakes used by the Neanderthals were more efficient.

Archaeologist Metin Eren from the University of Exeter said: "Our research disputes a major pillar holding up the long-held assumption that Homo sapiens were more advanced than Neanderthals.''

"It is time for archaeologists to start searching for other reasons why Neanderthals became extinct while our ancestors survived. Technologically speaking, there is no clear advantage of one tool over the other. When we think of Neanderthals we need to stop thinking in terms of 'stupid' or 'less advanced' and more in terms of 'different'."

Neanderthals vanished from Europe 28,000 years ago. By then, they had lived beside humans for about 10,000 years.

Research shows that, like modern humans, they had their own culture, used tools and hunted animals with weapons. It is possible they may even have spoken a rudimentary language.

The belief that Homo sapiens was more intellectually advanced than Neanderthals has persisted for decades.

The scientists believe early modern humans adopted new technology more for cultural or symbolic than practical reasons.

"Colonising a continent isn't easy. Colonising a continent during the Ice Age is even harder. So, for early Homo sapiens colonising Ice Age Europe, a new shared and flashy-looking technology might serve as one form of social glue by which larger social networks were bonded.

"Thus, during hard times and resource droughts, these larger social networks might act like a type of 'life insurance', ensuring exchange and trade among members on the same 'team.'

In recent years, many long-held views about why Neanderthals became extinct have been debunked, with research revealing they were as good at hunting as Homo sapiens and had no clear disadvantage in their ability to communicate.

Neanderthals Vs Evolution

Just to share some articles....

how much have we evolved?

read on (more articles will be shared) :)

How Neanderthals met a grisly fate: devoured by humansA fossil discovery bears marks of butchering similar to those made when cutting up a deer

One of science's most puzzling mysteries - the disappearance of the Neanderthals - may have been solved. Modern humans ate them, says a leading fossil expert.

The controversial suggestion follows publication of a study in the Journal of Anthropological Sciences about a Neanderthal jawbone apparently butchered by modern humans. Now the leader of the research team says he believes the flesh had been eaten by humans, while its teeth may have been used to make a necklace.

Fernando Rozzi, of Paris's Centre National de la Récherche Scientifique, said the jawbone had probably been cut into to remove flesh, including the tongue. Crucially, the butchery was similar to that used by humans to cut up deer carcass in the early Stone Age. "Neanderthals met a violent end at our hands and in some cases we ate them," Rozzi said.

The idea will provoke considerable opposition from scientists who believe Neanderthals disappeared for reasons that did not involve violence. Neanderthals were a sturdy species who evolved in Europe 300,000 years ago, made complex stone tools and survived several ice ages before they disappeared 30,000 years ago - just as modern human beings arrived in Europe from Africa.

Some researchers believe Neanderthals may have failed to compete effectively with Homo sapiens for resources, or were more susceptible to the impact of climate change. But others believe our interactions were violent and terminal for the Neanderthals. According to Rozzi, the discovery at Les Rois in south-west France provides compelling support for that argument.

Previous excavations revealed bones that were thought to be exclusively human. But Rozzi's team re-examined them and found one they concluded was Neanderthal. Importantly, it was covered in cut marks similar to those left behind when flesh is stripped from deer and other animals using stone tools.

Rozzi believes the jawbone provides crucial evidence that humans attacked Neanderthals, and sometimes killed them, bringing back their bodies to caves to eat or to use their skulls or teeth as trophies. "For years, people have tried to hide away from the evidence of cannibalism, but I think we have to accept it took place," he added.

But not every team member agrees. "One set of cut marks does not make a complete case for cannibalism," said Francesco d'Errico, of the Institute of Prehistory in Bordeaux. It was also possible that the jawbone had been found by humans and its teeth used to make a necklace, he said.

"This is a very important investigation," said Professor Chris Stringer, of the Natural History Museum, London. "We do need more evidence, but this could indicate modern humans and Neanderthals were living in the same area of Europe at the same time, that they were interacting, and that some of these interactions may have been hostile.

"This does not prove we systematically eradicated the Neanderthals or that we regularly ate their flesh. But it does add to the evidence that competition from modern humans probably contributed to Neanderthal extinction."

MRT Project

I have not been bloging for some time now coz i kinda fed up with the way things are... what gave me motivation to blog again is todays news in star biz.... one of them is that a foreign company been appointed to tell Malaysian Government n the appointed companies to do the bloody job if they can do the project in a more 'smarter n cheaper way or not'.

AGAIN... a foreigner to tell us if we are smart or not...any way more comments below....read thru the article i got extract from star online:

Wednesday March 9, 2011
McKinsey appointed consultant for MRT
BY RISEN JAYASEELAN and THEAN LEE CHENG
starbiz@thestar.com.my
It will carry out value management study of the project

PETALING JAYA: McKinsey & Co has been hired as consultants to carry out the value management study (VMS) on the mass rapid transit (MRT) project.

This was revealed by Azmi Abdul Aziz, the chief development officer of Public Land Transport Commission (SPAD) in his presentation at the Greater KL: Smart City of The Future Conference on Monday.

The VMS is an important element in SPAD's plan to ensure that the MRT is carried out in the most cost-efficient way.

“The (MRT) project on its own is not viable but this is not something new. It is proven in the experience of other countries,” Azmi said. “So we are putting in efforts to ensure that the construction cost is minimised. Part of that effort is the engagement of McKinsey for work on the VMS.”

“We will be looking at land development and property development to help bring down the cost. It will be a rail-plus-property project.


“We will have fare and non-fare income from things like advertising and will ensure the maintenance cost is kept at optimum levels,” he said.

In an earlier interview with StarBiz, SPAD chief executive Mohd Nur Ismal Kamal had explained: “One interesting mechanism being used for the MRT project is the VMS, where an independent party will scrutinise the project plans and ensure that the optimum value is derived.”

He also said the VMS will help decide the selection of the proposed alignment and station locations to “make cost most effective” but at the same time, also consider the factor of helping unlock the full potential of real estate values in locations where the stations are located.

“The VMS will also design a procurement policy which will ensure cost savings and prevent any extravagant spending,” Mohd Nur said.

Another aspect of the VMS is that it will help with the early identification of non-fare box revenue.

“Such revenue will include rental or sale of property surrounding stations which can significantly contribute to future expansion of the network and system maintenance and upgrades.

“This kind of practice is again not new. About one third of the revenue of Hong Kong's Mass Transit Rail system is not from ticket sales, while in Tokyo the non-fare revenue is as high as 80%,” Mohd Nur told StarBiz.

“With all these steps being taken by the Government, it is hoped that the MRT project will delivered to the rakyat on time for them to enjoy its full benefits at the lowest possible cost,” he said.

Let me share with you the history of Value Management(VM)in Malaysia...

Dr Mazlan is the guy tht introduce in Malaysia way back in 1990s.

I organised VM conferences n workshop together with him and Dr Mazlan continue the effort to save billions of ringgit for the Malaysia Government thru his consultancy and workshops...

He have saved rm 1.6 billion for the KLIA 2 project when he was appointed by the EPU and MAHB. He saved hundred of millions on other project in JKR, UNiversities, TNB and many more...

He infact introduce VM to the Gov via EPU and present it to the Prime Minister untill VM methodology has been made mandatory requirements by the EPU for projects etc costing rm50mil and above. In fact it has been announced by the PM as one of the supporting pillars during the 11th Majlis Perdana Perkhidmatan Awam Conference on March 2010.

He even ca,e out in papers n TV talk shows on this matter...

My point is this:

1. Why waste money and appoint a foreign company when we have a anak melayu whom have done a greattrac record for saving billions for the government.

2. does the foreign company appointed got any VM knowledge or work done in malaysia to be claimed be able to study and carry on the VM framework?

3. Dr Mazlan have ofcoz tried to offer its service by sending his profile etc after discussing with mgt of prasarana back in december but no news... why?

4. how the does the appointment done? any bid? rfp done?

5. is there arent any communications between the EPU and SPAD or Prasarana since its a National and most expensive project...if they do why cant epu or mof share their success via dr mazlan VM framework and saved rm1.6bil for the KLIA 2 project.... why??


i am taking few action steps for justice to prevail to fight for the truth and honesty in thias project n leave no room for leakages especially involved billions of Rakyat money!

Oh My God : Its 2011 Already!

Happy Belated New Year to all!!!!

my god my god...so fast.. its 2011 already...

my son is gonna be 4 years old this year... when ppl ask how old are u he will straight answer 4 yrs old even tho his birthday is in May...



i guess he is like me...cant wait to get old to 'blend-in'

i will try my best to do blog more often n to also update my son life's blog

c ya!

Politic-a-bit: DUN TENANG

May GOD/the Creator bless his soul and reace and peace to the dun tenang guy (Allahyarham Datuk Sulaiman Taha) tht have just passed away..my condolences to the family...

I dont know this guy nor i know much about Malaysian Politics BUT i know bout this when i heard in the news that the guy died just yesterday....

The News was showing his family was in tears at the cemetary and there were praying for him BUT the subtitle and the newscaster were talking bout how BN and PKR is ready for a by election or something and getting ready their strategy and statistics to get voters and they will not gonna wait to replace a new candidate asap..


I was disgusted by this!

call me naive but this is just not humane...

Imagine the feeling of the family hearing all this in the news...

Instead of hearing how the nation or BN, etc showing sympathy and a moment of silence or something... the party that the guy working for is already prepapring to replace him immediately bcoz of worry tht the DUn will be taken over by opposition!

pls show some compassion or atleast pls try ... try to act caring towards the feeling of the guy's family!

the guy just died and u talk bout wiining a potical rush!!!!

cummon ...where is the VALUE in people nowadays!

STOP all the mega billion dollar projects and bridge the gap and CARE for ALL Malaysians

Sinthamani Divine Life Ashram

To all beloved friends, Sinthamani Divine Life Ashram is seeking for your kindness to contribute some foods, clothes and grocery items. There are 31 children (all Indian Malaysian-8 without birth certificate) at the Ashram;youngest being just one month old and oldest 21 yrs (who is now helping there). There are also 4 single mothers and an old folk man age, +70 who had taken shelter there as their home.
Sponsoring a child in need can mean the difference between despair and hope. By providing critical basics like nutritious food, clean water, healthcare, education, and more, you can literally help save a child’s life — and benefit a whole community.

For further enquiry please contact;
MR. Praveendran @ 016-9046358
Sinthamani Divine Life Ashram Rumah Kebajikan(ROC No. 001529609-H)
NO. 112, Block J 50,Lorong 5/160,Kawasan A,
Rumah Panjang,Jinjang Utara,
52000 Kepong KL
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/#!/group.php?gid=39011814409&ref=ts