WeeBee Real Smart Home at the Fraction of the Cost

"Webee", the first Smart Home system that connects and controls your home appliances through one simple App, while providing personal suggestions customized to you, to save money and improve efficiency. Compatible with any other smart technology!

Glow-in-the-Dark Pavement Could Replace Street Lights?

Keeping parks well lit at night can be a costly means to ensure pedestrian and cyclist safety. But a British-based company has come up with a way to turn park paths into glow-in-the-dark thoroughfares that double as energy-efficient works of art. 
Created by Pro-Teq, Starpath is a spray-able coating of light-absorbing particles that harvests ultra-violet rays from the sun during the day and dramatically lights up like a starry sky at night. The veneer is non-reflective, anti-slip and waterproof, and can be applied to cement, wood, tarmac or other solid surfaces.




Glow-in-the-dark spray also comes with additional benefits: Its non-reflective surface doesn't seem to contribute to light pollution, which not only inhibits views of the nighttime sky, but can have dire consequences for local wildlife due to the constant illumination.

Overhead street lighting does provide one important benefit to urban parks, however, and that's the deterrence of crime. It's not yet known if Starpath would provide enough light to do the same.

Pro-Teq's Neil Blackmore says that for larger urban parks where the possibility of crime is higher, his technology could be used in conjunction with overhead lighting, if not replacing street lights completely, then cutting down on the number of them necessary to illuminate darkened areas.

German Expert Warns Against Using iPhone5S Fingerprint Function

In light of the PRISM spying by NSA, a German data-protection specialist Johannes Caspar warns against using iPhone 5S's new Fingerprint ID function. While Apple claims this to be secure by saying 'your fingerprint is only stored on the iPhone, never transmitted over the network' the expert arguments that 'The biometric features of your body, like your fingerprints, cannot be erased or deleted and stay with you until the end of your life without changing. They are crucial and should not be used for something as non-vital or casual as unlocking your device.

A Mountain of an Apartment

Professor Zhang Lin built a dream mountain villa on top of a Beijing apartment block. He spent six years shifting rocks and rubble to the roof to create this bizarre mountaintop penthouse. However, as you might imagine, the people underneath aren’t too happy because cracks and leaks appeared throughout the apartment block since construction of the mountain suite. The construction will be demolished if found unsafe.

Xerox Photocopiers Randomly Alter Numbers

Machines have been altering numbers...

If you think your photocopier is producing exact duplicates of your documents, you might want to double-check — some popular Xerox scanners and photocopiers change text and numbers documents scanned and copied under the "normal" quality setting.

"According to a report from German computer scientist D. Kriesel, some Xerox copiers and scanners may alter numbers that appear in scanned documents. Having analysed the output of two such devices, the Xerox Copiers 7535 and 7556, Kriesel found that "patches of the pixel data are randomly replaced in a very subtle and dangerous way": in particular, some numbers appearing in a document may be replaced by other numbers when it is scanned."

In one example, David Kriesel who is based in Bonn, found copies he had made of construction plans had altered dimensions of some of the rooms. One Xerox printer had enlarged the square meter of a room from 14.13 m² to 17.42m², while another shrunk it from 21.11 m² to 14.13 m². Mr Kriesel found the copier would often change the number 6 into the number 8, and vice versa. He said the issue arose through an “image compression” fault, linked to how the scanners shrink the file size of scans.

Xerox aware of problem

Xerox said: “The problem stems from a combination of compression level and resolution setting. We do not normally see a character substitution issue... However, the defect may be seen at lower quality and resolution settings.”

Automated Bicycle Parking - Only in Japan

Malaysia My Second Home Program

Malaysian Government welcome foreign nationals (except Israel, Yugoslavia, Serbia and Montenegro ) to stay in Malaysia on a long term Social Visit Pass under the "MALAYSIA - MY SECOND HOME PROGRAMME" and duration of stay is for a period of five(5) years with a Multiple Entry Visa.
However, it DOES NOT entitle a permanent resident status.

Rules & Regulations

Age

• There is no age limit. Successful applicant are allowed to bring dependent that is wife and children below 18 years of age and to employ maid
• Application from dependent other than described above will be considered.
• Applicants above 50 years of age can submit their applications to the Immigration Headquarters in Putrajaya, State Immigration Offices, Malaysia Representative Offices Abroad and Malaysia Tourism Offices.

Applicants below 50 years of age are required to submit their application to the Immigration Headquarters in Putrajaya.

Income/ Financial Requirement

a. Applicant above 50 years of age

• Applicant and spouse (either one must be above 50 years of age) will have the privilege of choosing EITHER to have a fixed deposit of RM 150,000.00 (for 5 years) from any bank in Malaysia; OR derive a fixed monthly income of not less than RM 10,000.00 (from abroad). The fixed deposit account must be active during applicant’s permitted length of stay under this programme. A Multiple Entry Visa is given together with the Visit Pass (Social) of 5 years period (for those nationals who require a visa).
• Single (individual) applicant will have the privilege of choosing either to have a fixed deposit of RM 100,000.00 (for 5 years) from any bank in Malaysia ; OR derive a fixed monthly income of not less than RM 7,000.00 (from abroad). The fixed deposit account must be active during applicant’s permitted length of stay under this programme. A Multiple Entry Visa is given together with the Visit Pass (Social) of 5 years period (for those nationals who require a visa).

b. Applicant below 50 years of age

• Applicant and spouse MUST POSSES a fixed deposit of RM 150,000.00 (for 5 years) from any bank in Malaysia ; AND derive a fixed monthly income of not less than RM 10,000.00 (from abroad). The fixed deposit account must be active during applicant’s permitted length of stay under this programme. A Multiple Entry Visa is given together with the Visit Pass (Social) of 5 years period (for those nationals who require a visa).
• Single (individual) applicant MUST POSSES a fixed deposit of RM 100,000.00 (for 5 years) from any bank in Malaysia ; AND derive a fixed monthly income of not less than RM 7,000.00 (from abroad). The fixed deposit account must be active during applicant’s permitted length of stay under this programme. A Multiple Entry Visa is given together with the Visit Pass (Social) of 5 years period (for those nationals who require a visa).
• The Social Visit Pass given for a period of five (5) years period is given subject to the validity of the passport
• All new applications or renewals in this programme are required to have a fix deposit account in any bank in Malaysia OR any foreign banks as long as the foreign banks have a branch in Malaysia.

Application

Applicant above 50 years of age can submit their application without a sponsor. However the department has the right to request for one if deemed necessary.

Insurance Coverage

Must possess a medical insurance policy from any insurance company recognised in Malaysia. However, it is optional for a person of above 50 years of age can be exempted

Education.

Children of Applicant
Applicant are required to apply for their children to study in schools or any Institution of higher leaning recognized by the Malaysian Government and to inform the Immigration Department so that an endorsment “Permitted to study at…….. from…….to…….” can be stamped by Malaysian Immigration Department on the passport
Dependent of Applicant
Dependent of applicant (other than children) who wants to study in any school or institution of higher learning recognized by the Malaysia Government are required to inform the department for the issuance of Student Pass.
Goverment Tax
Successful applicants are bound by the policies, systems and regulations of tax of this country and are not accorded privileges as granted to the Diplomatic Missions in Malaysia.
Employment of Maid
Applicant are allowed to bring along their maid or apply for one from source country. Process of bringing or applying for a maid under Malaysia My Second Home Programme are subjected to the terms and conditions for application of maid in this country, and it will be processed by the Visa, Pas and Permit Division.
Application Procedures
Application can be made in or outside of Malaysia . Application can be submitted while the applicant is in the country provided that the applicant is in the possession of a valid pass.
Successful applicant who are in Malaysia will be exempted from getting a visa in Malaysian Representative Offices Abroad for coutries that require a visa. Journey Performed Visa (JP Visa) incurred for applicant that requires visa to enter to this country.
List of Documents

• **Letter of application;
• **A copy of Social Visit Pass Form IM.12; (download)
• **Two (2) passport sized photographs of applicant (and spouse);
• A copy of applicant's (and spouse) passport/travel document (all pages);
• A copy of a Marriage Certificate (if accompanied by a spouse);
• A copy a certified fixed deposit and medical insurance (for applicants aged 50 and below);

A Personal Bond stamped RM 10.00 by the Stamp-Duty Office

• (signed by the sponsor) (download);
• A copy of the sponsor Identity Card (if applicable);
• sponsor’s statement form (if applicable).
  Notes: **not applicable if application is submitted through the web.

Submission of Application
Applicants who which to join this programme can apply to these following address:

• Visa, Pass and Permit Division,
  Level 3, Block 2G4 (PODIUM) Precinct 2,
  Federal Government Administration Centre,
  62550 Putrajaya,
  Federal Territory.
• All State Immigration Office
• All Malaysian Representative Office Abroad

All Malaysian Tourism Office

Exemption
Application can be accepted with conditions if application does not contain these requirements::Fixed Deposit at local banks , Insurance Coverage Policy ,
Restriction
Successful applicants are strictly forbidden from the following :

• Taking part in activities such as political, missionary, provocative or instigative, which is considered sensitive, and threat to the national security.

Taking part in any form of employment in Malaysia
Fees

• Social Visit Pass under Malaysia My Second Home Programme is RM 90.00 per year.
• Visa as existing rate applicable to each country (not exceeding RM 100.00); and

For applicant with maid; Levy and Visit Pass (Temporary Employment) of maid follows the existing rate.
Extension of Social Visit Pass
Documents for extension application are as follows:

• A copy of Form IMM.55
• A copy of Form IMM.38 (for countries that require visa)
• The latest certified fixed deposit

A copy of applicant's (and spouse) passport / travel document (if accompanied by a spouse)
Person Who Not Eligible To Apply

• Holders of Expatriate Pass and Dependent Pass; and Holders of Student Pass

Clients Charter

• New application - 21 working days from the date of submission
• Renewal - 3 working days form the date of submission

** Applicable for completed application only
Identification Card
Identification card for individuals under Malaysia My Second Home programme are issued by Malaysian Immigration Department Headquaters. State Immigration Offices and Malaysian Embassy Office in People's Republic of China must inform completed applications to Malaysian Immigration Headquaters for issuance of identification card.
Application Submission/ Queries
Complete applications can be submitted to:

Immigration Department of Malaysia
Level 3, Block 2G4 (PODIUM) Precinct 2,
Federal Government Administration Centre,
62550 Putrajaya,
Federal Territory.

OR

• All Malaysian Representative Office Abroad

All State Immigration Office ( for applicant above 50 years of age only).
For Sabah and Sarawak, application can be submitted to Sabah and Sarawak Immigration Office.

Rising Costs A Challenge For Malaysian Developers

By The Star | June 18, 2011

A lot has been said about how much it costs now to buy a house or an apartment.

For someone who is just starting out, or for a newly married couple looking to buy their first home, it can mean making a huge sacrifice elsewhere just so there is enough money for the down payment and then the monthly instalments on the home loan.

Many people have chosen to attribute the high cost of new properties to developers or, more precisely, the perceived penchant of builders to raise prices for every new project launched.

Rightly or wrongly, fairly or otherwise, developers do bear most of the brunt for the “high” prices of new properties.

But just like any other business people, developers know that pricing their properties out of the targeted market's price range will surely put them out of business.

Prices of new properties are determined by how much it costs the developer to put up these structures in the first place, and the prices of land and building materials have been rising over the years.

The price of land, especially in or close to urban centres, has gone up exponentially. As an example, let us look at one locality in Kuala Lumpur and compare the prices from 2005 and 2011. In September 2005, a terrace house on Jalan Terasek 2, Bangsar Baru, was sold at RM363 psf. In February this year, another house on the same street was sold for RM668 psf, an increase of more than 80% in just over five years.

The cost of building materials has also gone up as the demand for more homes expands with population growth, improving standard of living and widening affordability.

The ratio between the construction cost and the price paid for the land varies from country to country. In Malaysia, it can be safely assumed that the ratio is about 70:30, with the construction cost taking up the bigger portion.

What are the materials that go into building a home, and how significant a portion of the total cost do they account for? Items that come to mind quickly are cement, sand, bricks, concrete, roof tiles, etc.

Also significant but hardly visible in any completed structure are steel bars, fabric reinforcements and numerous other components that are essential in the construction of a building.

For instance, steel bars may account for up to 20% of the total construction cost, while concrete takes up another 15%. Another significant component is masonry works, which can account for about 10% of the cost.

One only has to check the prices of these items over the past five to six years to realise that they have gone up significantly, some by more than 70%.

To illustrate this argument, let us take a look at the prices of some of these items from say, 2005, and compare them with today's prices.

To ensure the figures we use are reflective of industry levels, we have opted for numbers compiled by the Construction Industry Development Board (CIDB) of Malaysia.

According to the CIDB figures, the cost of 10mm-12mm mild steel round bars rose from RM1,647 per tonne in 2005 to RM2,608 in January this year, an increase of just over 58%.

In the same period, the price of the 16mm-32mm mild steel round bars rose from RM1,563 to RM2,534, an increase of 62%.

The price of 10mm-12mm high tensile deformed bars went up from RM1,685 to RM2,608, a 55% rise. The 16mm-32mm high tensile deformed bars cost RM2,493 in January this year, up 56% from five years before.

Fabric reinforcement, another important component of construction, has also seen significant price increases. According to the CIDB figures, the price of A7 fabric reinforcement has risen from RM1.79 to RM3.08 per kg up 72%. That for the A10 type went up from RM1.86 to RM3.07 or 65%.

Sawn mixed hardwood and waterproof plywood, which are essential in building the moulds into which concrete is poured, have seen similarly high increases in price. A cubic metre of sawn mixed hardwood cost RM1,290 early this year, up 57% from RM820.

Less substantial, though not less significant, are increases in the prices of sand, bricks, concrete and waterproof plywood. The price of a metric tonne of river or mining sand went up from RM14 to RM20.17, or 44%. A consignment of 1,000 pieces of bricks now costs RM200 against RM140 before, up 43%.

The price of a cubic metre of G25 ready-mixed concrete went up from RM140 to RM191.20, up 37%, and that of G30 ready-mixed concrete was up from RM147.67 to RM201.17, up 36%. The 13mm thick waterproof plywood costs RM49.90 per sheet, up from RM44.50, or 12%.

The only item that has seen a drop in price is the 10mm-40mm diameter granite aggregate, which sells for RM23 per metric tonne, down RM1 from the 2005 price, or a decrease of 4%.

As stated earlier, the cost of land does make up a substantial portion of the cost of a project. Changes in the price of land, on the other hand, vary from place to place. Price increases are usually more substantial in the larger urban centres than in small towns.

With every new project, the demands of buyers also change.

Changing tastes call for changes in designs. Aesthetics are becoming more important, new demands to meet environmental requirements and concerns can result in higher costs. Added to that is the cost of labour and equipment, which is also on an uptrend. Given this scenario, the only way a developer can set itself apart from the rest is to be more innovative in its designs, ensure high quality and offer excellent after sales service.

That, understandably, also comes at a cost. But that's another story.

Quality of Housing Stock Already Makes Kuala Lumpur A Global City

The Star  | May 28, 2011 | 

In a recent report from the UK, it was stated that the quality of a city's housing stock plays an important role in boosting its attraction and making it more competitive in global terms. Malaysia has slipped in global competitiveness according to both The Institute of Management Development and World Economic Forum but does this mean the quality of housing stock is still not of global standards?

It is arguable that London is one of the top global cities and it has recently been reported that the housing stock in London continues to sell well and at prices equal to, or even above, pre-recession levels. This may be testament to the quality of homes in central London they are so desirable because of the quality of design, finishing and of course location in a vibrant city.

Kuala Lumpur is not a global city yet but there are examples of high quality housing stock that should be contributing to its global competitiveness. For example, The Troika is designed by British firm Foster & Partners in cooperation with local firm GDP and such a building in London, New York and Paris would be five or six times more expensive to buy or rent. Probably the most expensive apartment transaction in the country was at a price of RM2,657 per sq ft for a penthouse unit at Binjai On The Park and the next closest in value would be The Troika.

The buyer is a corporate figure who has been on Forbes magazine's list of wealthiest people. On June 22, 2010, he bought the triplex penthouse, measuring 14,300 sq ft, on the 42nd floor of Binjai's Tower B. The price tag of RM38mil meant the penthouse was sold for almost RM2,660 per sq ft. At the time, the marketing and sales manager was quoted in The Star as saying “The buyer bought the penthouse to stay. He fell in love with the 360-degree unobstructed view of the KLCC skyline right at his doorstep” similar to views offered by the likes of London's One Hyde Park. “Binjai On The Park was just like one of his other homes around the globe,” said Terri Har, marketing and sales manager of Layar Intan Sdn Bhd, the developer.

The “Global Cities Review” published by Savills in the UK compares prices of residential units bought by CEO level executives in London, New York, Moscow and Hong Kong, and KL pricing is still 50% more affordable than in New York which was the only city not to show any price gains over the last five years. Indeed, the value of a CEO's home in New York last year was still down 7% on 2005 prices.

London's wealthy residents, whether they own or rent, are likely to live in a house and it is “landed property” in Malaysia that is still the most sought after and valuable in the country. The so-called “bungalow in the sky” concept for some KLCC apartments has sold well and make wonderful accommodation for owner occupiers but investors have found it difficult to let at rents that would give acceptable returns.

Only 40% of 5mil plus purchases in London were made by British buyers in 2010 and this is exactly what Malaysia needs more foreign buyers of residential accommodation and more foreign tenants from multinational corporations. The quality of the housing stock is present and getting better all the time and we look forward to more liberalisation of the business sector and the attraction of more foreign investment to boost the luxury housing market and improve the country's competitiveness.

London is the world's largest financial centre alongside New York and there are more overseas banks in London than any other international city. Obviously the attempt to base an Islamic “mega bank” in Kuala Lumpur is welcome and may make Kuala Lumpur the global centre for Islamic finance. Life in London is very busy with Heathrow being the world's busiest airport and London having more than 300 languages spoken. Malaysia has embraced multiculturalism and so this is not likely to hinder progress towards being a global city.

Just like London, the hunting grounds for wealthy families to live in large houses in KL are well established residential areas characterised by wide roads and plenty of parks or trees Areas in London for houses like Belgravia, Holland Park, Regent's Park, Chelsea and Mayfair are the equivalent of our Bukit Tunku, Ampang Hilir, Bangsar and Damansara Heights. Well-planned new townships like Desa Park City may well become the equivalent of Chiswick in West London one day and will undoubtedly help Kuala Lumpur become a global city!

China: Fatal Building Collapse Rings Alarm Bells For Developers

June 27, 2009: Shanghai was shocked out of its slumber by the sound of a 13-story tower block crashing to the ground. But the fatal accident may prove a bigger wake-up call for the construction industry, say experts, who have accused building firms of sacrificing quality for quick profits.

An investigation report last Friday revealed the collapse had been caused by the foundations being undermined by a combination of dug-out soil being piled 10 m high against one side and the digging of a 4.6-m-deep underground car park on the other.

A preliminary investigation showed the building's foundations had shifted around 10 cm by the 3,000-ton lateral force of a 10-m-high pile of mud on its north side.

The Director of the real estate studies institute at Tongji University in Shanghai say the incident highlights the lack of an effective construction supervision system in China, while others have called for a new independent body to be set up to oversee safety and quality standards.

FX Magazine - June 2011

FX Magazine - June 2011
English | True PDF | 158 Pages | 52 MB

Over the past two decades FX Magazine it has become the market leader in worldwide contract interior design. FX reaches the most influential specifiers in the commercial contract interior market. FX includes all sectors of the contract industry in each issue to make it both invaluable to all designers as well as a compulsive read. Each issue is packed with opinion, colour and controversy from the leading practices and suppliers across all sectors of interior design including hotel, commercial, leisure, retail, healthcare and education.

Excavator Stunt

 This is how excavators are unloaded in Norway.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KV9ZoGzE0hI&feature=player_embedded

A Train Laying Its Own Track

Tent Turns To Concrete In 24 Hours

Concrete Canvas Shelters are transportable, rapidly deployable structures that require only water and air for construction. They require only 40 minutes of labor to set up and 24 hours to harden.

Blacklisted Property Developer 30th Sept. 2010

288 'Ingkar Award' blacklisted Malaysian developers list.
I was shocked to find out that some of the well-known property developers in Malaysia were in the list too. Here are some of the developers:

• Berjaya Golf Resort Sdn Bhd
• Mammoth Empire Holding Sdn Bhd
• Mayland Development Sdn Bhd
• Perdana Park City Sdn Bhd
• Perbadanan Kemajuan Negeri Selangor (PKNS)
• Puchong Kinrara Development Sdn Bhd
• Shamelin Holdings Sdn Bhd
• Summit Housing Development Sdn Bhd

Click here for the full list…